When the world begins to die
by ChibiChump13
Summary: Parental RoyEd. Al died, Ed is left alone, but Roy is there to save him from himself. There is just too much for Ed to handle especially when Roy is lying to him. And what happens when a revengeful kidnapper comes into the picture? Will Ed ever be the same?
1. Why must the good die young?

**Chapter 1:**

_Why must the good die young?_

Roy heard a knocking come from his office door. He dropped the papers he was pretending to read and stated, "Come in…"

God he was so tired, he stayed up the whole night listening to Hughes complain about how Elisha had a nightmare. '_I swear if that is Hughes coming to tell me anything more about his daughter I will singe him!'_

Sure enough Hughes came in, but before Roy could yell at him, Roy noticed the grave look Hughes had on his face.

"Hughes what's the matter?" Roy asked. Something must have happened because a situation, no matter how grave, could have Hughes looking the way he did.

"Edward Elric came back from his mission Roy, and Al is not with him." Hughes solemnly said.

"Maybe Alphonse is at Resmbool-" Roy tried to imply before Hughes interrupted him.

"No Roy! They ran into some trouble down in the town Atlezotope where you sent them. Ed is severely wounded and is now in the hospital. Roy, when the MPs arrived they found Fullmetal and this…." Hughes hesitantly reached into his leather briefcase and pulled out something big wrapped in cloth.

He handed it to Roy who quickly unwrapped it only to almost started to cry when he saw that it was the portion of Al's armor that held the blood seal which apparently seemed to be smeared away.

"Oh my god….Hughes I can't believe it… I seriously can't…" Roy managed to choke. "Does Ed know about this?"

"I think he does, although he has not regained consciousness we can only assume. The doctors have to keep sedating him because he seems to be constantly suffering from panic attacks."

"Hughes I have to go see Ed now!" Roy jumped up from his desk and half-done paper work to grab his coat and run through the door with Hughes close behind.

"Sir, where do you think you are going?" Roy heard Hawkeye yell as he imagined her drawing her gun.

"Stay here Riza! Ed is in the hospital, gotta go! Bye!" Roy called back to her.

* * *

At the hospital, Roy ran up to one of the nurses and practically screamed at her, "DO YOU KNOW WHERE EDWARD ELRIC IS, I NEED TO SEE HIM NOW!"

"Um…hold on one minute sir let me check what room he is in….but please try to calm down, Sir." The nurse replied. It looked like she was afraid of the Colonel.

"Geez Roy I'm worried too, but you seriously have to calm down. I thought Fullmetal annoyed you in the first place." Hughes put in.

"Hughes, it may not appear to be so in public but I care for Edward. I don't know I feel like since I helped him to enlist for the military, he is now my responsibility." Roy sighed and sat down in one of the chairs that were next to him in the hallway. He placed his head in his hands and sighed greatly. "Hughes I was the one who sent them both on that mission, I wanted to give them a challenge to try to restore a city for me…but then Alphonse wound up being killed and Fullmetal is severely wounded…. I don't want Fullmetal to blame me for anything."

"Oh come on Roy, you know Ed better than that, I doubt it he would blame you for anything. Knowing Ed, he'll probably blame himself more than anyone else." Hughes then placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and said, "Well we won't know anything unless he wakes up."

"Thanks Hughes. Where did that nurse go anyway? She's been gone for like five minutes. I don't think it takes that long to check some charts."

Just then as if to speak of the devil the nurse came running down the hallway.

"Sirs! We need your help! Apparently Major Elric is on suicide watch. He woke up and locked himself in his room using alchemy!"

Roy jumped out of his chair and began to run with Hughes and the nurse to go to try and snap Ed out of his train of thought. How could Ed even think to try and do something like that?

'Well duh,' Roy thought. 'He is a young teenage boy who never really had anything in life but his brother and the ambition to return him to normal, and he saw it all shatter in front of his very own eyes.'

They could only hope that they were able to reach the door in time…

**X X**

**Muhuhuhaha! I'm so evil! Will I let Ed live or die? That choice is entirely up to me to decide!**

**Please review!XD**

**Also keep in mind that this will be a PARENTAL RoyxEdNOT A YAOI! XI**

**(revised 6/12/12)**


	2. Even if I say it's going to be alright

**HEY! Well I suddenly got the inspiration to redo all of my previous chapters that I wrote all the way back in 2007 because I found that they essentially sucked. So hopefully now you will enjoy my chapters a little better. I tried to eliminate too much of the over the top parental goo. So hopefully you guys will enjoy it! =] **

**Revised Dec. 29, 2011**

**Chapter 2**

_Even if I say its going to be alright, still I hear you want to end your life….._

What did Ed really have left to live for? Al was gone, and he was the reason why Ed even had a purpose left on this Earth. He was why Ed joined the God damn military. If it was up to Ed, he would have never become one of their dogs.

He was the reason that Ed went on all of those crazy hunts to find the philosophers stone. Ed was never interested in healing himself. If affixing Al's soul to that armor never would have worked then Ed would have happily died awhile ago for his sins.

He didn't want to even live anymore. He was just a hollow shell now. '_It's all my fault, I should have done something. I'm the older brother. I should not have let him die. It's all my faul., I'm such an idiot. I don't deserve to live anyway. No one here is going to miss me. No one is going to take care of me. Nobody wants to hear me whine. God, they must all blame me for Al's death too. Well I don't blame them_.'

Well, he needed to find a way to die. Ed looked around the room, and he could not find anything sharp that he could slit his wrist with. Then he went to the next death procedure, hanging. Well he couldn't find anything for that. When he heard the clacking of one of the nurses heels approach his door, he rolled off the bed, while ignoring the pain, and he stumbled over to the door and sealed it with alchemy.

He ignored the nurse banging on the door, and he ignored the blood that was leaking slowly from his wounds. Then he realized that will kill him. He didn't need to do anything more.

Then Ed heard, "Marlene! Go get the Colonel! Mr. Elric sealed the door shut!"

_Dammit! Now they were going to get Mustang?_

He would be able to get through Ed's barricade. Ed needed to find a way to defend himself against Mustang. Ed then saw the medicine cabinet, from which he grabbed the alcohol unscrewed the cap and threw the across the room.

The alcohol sprayed everywhere and over the door. If the Flame Alchemist was to snap his fingers, then Ed wouldn't have to worry about him trying to get him, because Ed would burn with the fire. (**EXAGGERATION, GUYS JUST PRETEND HE'LL BURN)**

Now it was only a matter of time, Ed already could feel the blood slowly pool underneath him. '_Goodbye world, don't worry Al, I'll see you soon brother…'_

* * *

Hughes and Roy ran as fast as they possibly could. When they reached the door Roy quickly slipped on his gloves, ready to break through Ed's defenses.

"WAIT!" Hughes desperately whispered.

"What? We need to-" Roy began to cut in.

"Do you smell that?" Hughes was whispering, which was a good idea cause they don't want to spook Ed.

Roy sniffed the air and then it registered, rubbing alcohol. The kid knew Roy was going to show up. Thank God Roy stopped when Hughes told him to or else he would have blown the poor kid up.

"How are we going to get in then?" Roy wondered. Then the idea hit him, they were on the first floor of the hospital.

"Hughes, I really am a dumbass, let's use the window to the room." Hughes gave a brief nod and they ran outside and to Ed's window.

* * *

It was taking way too damn long. At this rate, someone would find him. Ed wondered what was taking the Colonel so long. _'Figures he wouldn't show up to try to save me. He never really cared about me anyway.'_

'_He is just like my damn father. I can't trust any of them.' _

Ed then clapped his hands for the last time that he would in his life and transmuted a knife from the metal bed frame. Well this truly was the end. _'Nobody cares enough to come save me so why should I care?'_ As he lifted the knife to his throat he heard a crash in the distance. He didn't have enough time to register it until the knife was smacked out of his hand. He felt a warmth envelope him and grab onto him.

'_Wasn't death supposed to be cold?' _

He then sank into the darkness, unconscious, but still alive. _'Dammit...'_

Roy saw Ed slowly lift the blade to his throat. Roy kicked through the glass, ignoring the pain, and ran to Ed. Roy took the knife from his weak hand and he flung it across the room.

Roy gathered Ed into his arms, and when Roy did, Ed fell unconscious. Roy held him tight, as if he would vanish from his arms. Roy didn't know what he would have done if Ed had died. He was Roy's responsibility, his subordinate.

As Roy held him he couldn't believe that he almost lost Ed like that, lost him so quickly. He needed to help Ed. Ed was so broken.

'_God what kind of man am I that I send a kid into a cruel adult world? This small, now weak, twelve year old is my responsibility, and it's about time I start acting like he is.' _

**SO GUYS!**

**How'd you like it? I do want reviews for this story because I want to know what you guys really think. I hope you guys like the changes that I am making for this story. I realized that the reason why I wasn't updating so much had to do with the fact that the story was so disorganized due to updating through the years. I hope that you guys will like the changes that I will make in the other chapters as well! **

**Please review each chapter! I want to know what you think! Thank ya! **


	3. And medicine is one and the same

**Ok well hey guys! This is another revision. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it! =]**

**Let me remind you that this is a Parental fic not a yaoi! **

**Anyway on with the story and enjoy!**

**Revised Dec. 29, 2011**

**Chapter 3**

_And medicine is one and the same_

Roy sat by Edward's bedside. All that mattered to him was hearing the pained inhales and exhales from the small boy. That was how he knew for a fact that the boy was alive. He looked so pale, so broken. He was no longer the fiery teen that everyone knew.

Edward was placed in the hospital for serious bruising throughout the majority of his body. He also suffered from some cuts that would take sometime to heal. The mental injuries would be the difficult injuries to heal.

The doctor had Edward placed in the psych ward due to his suicidal escapade. They were also forced to restrain him to the bed since he was such a threat to others and himself. After his time in the psych ward was up, he would be allowed to go home. He had about four hours left to go before he was allowed to go home.

Home, that was another thing that was circulating throughout Roy's mind, where was Edward to go? He no longer had any available family that could take care of him. Roy knew that Ed had family out in Resembool but he didn't think that Ed would want them to know about Alphonse just yet.

Roy knew that without a doubt, he would be the one to take Edward home. Edward was in no position able to take care of himself considering the fact that he didn't even want to live. Plus, Roy needed to cover this up. No one could know about what happened to Fullmetal and his brother. It would ruin Ed's life and his military career.

Roy was mentally and physically exhausted by this point. He had hardly slept the past two days. He was too worried that the military police would burst through the door and take Ed and send him straight to interrogation. He was worried what state of mind poor Edward would wake up in. All this worry and it was only setting him back, although Roy wouldn't dare to admit it.

'_I'm only doing this because he is my subordinate'_

Finally, as Roy let out an exaggerated sigh, Ed began to stir from his drug induced slumber. He tried to lift his arm but found that it was bound to the bed.

Just as Ed was getting worried and excited over the fact that he was tied to a bed Roy shot up and leaned next to him.

"Fullmetal, calm down."

This only seemed to put Ed on edge even more. He started to resist against the restraints. He was afraid of what was happening to him, he did not seem to even register that Roy was next to him.

"Edward! I am ordering you to calm down!" Roy finally screamed out to no avail. This only seemed to make Ed resist even more. His breath began to come in short gasps.

When his heart-rate monitor started to scream, the doctor and a team of nurses fled into the room.

"It seems Mr. Elric is suffering from a panic attack. Inject another sedative-" The doctor began to say until Ed interrupted him.

"NO! NO MORE DRUGS! PLEASE NO MORE!" He was breathing even harder now, heart-rate up.

This stunned Roy, he couldn't handle the fact that Ed was begging. Ed would never beg like that for anything. Ed would never even say please!

"Doctor, I don't think he needs another sedative. What the Major needs is to be let out of those restraints!" Roy yelled at the man.

The doctor nodded and let Edward out of the restraints. When the doctor and his team left the room Ed was still panting and scared. Roy felt the urge to comfort the boy, but he fought to quickly bury it. He sat on the bed and slowly placed Edward in a sitting position. It was time that Roy got the facts. He wanted to know what happened to Fullmetal and his brother right now dammit!

After being placed, Edward launched himself at Roy's chest and buried his head inside. He began to then sob uncontrollably.

Roy was shocked. Never in a million years would the old Edward even think of showing any sign of weakness in front of the Colonel. He hated him didn't he? Roy had seen Edward cry only twice, but never like this. No matter how old Ed acted, he was still only a child, and Roy had to remember that.

"It's ok Full- um…Ed. Let it out." And Ed did just that. "Ed, why did you get so upset with the restraints?" Roy asked.

"Because….I thought that….I thought that I was trapped!...That I was back in that warehouse!...I couldn't do anything Roy!" Ed began to sob even more.

'_Roy? Well that was new….No Colonel Bastard?'_ Roy thought.

Ed was afraid that the nightmare he experienced was real. The fact is that it was, but Ed couldn't help but relive it in his head over and over again. Guilt rising within him.

"Ed, it is my fault I should have never sent you there. I am sorry." Roy admitted. He felt that he had something to do with it. "Ed you can hate me all you want I am sorry, but please don't try to kill yourself again." Roy uncomfortably stated. He was never really good at this.

Ed started to sob even more, "It's not your fault…..IT'S MINE!...I WAS SUPPOSED TO KEEP MY BROTHER SAFE!...MY MOTHER ALWAYS…..SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME TO AND LOOK WHAT I….LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!" He screamed out all his pain and anxiety as he pressed himself even deeper to Mustang's chest. He was gripping Mustang's shirt in his hands, not wanting to let go.

Roy felt odd but yet he made no move to push Ed away. Something felt weird within Roy as he realized that Ed needed his help.

"Ed, you did the best that you could. You did try to protect your brother; I know that you tried so very hard. Ed, neither Alphonse nor your mother would want them to blame yourself. You don't have to take all the blame by yourself."

After digesting Roy's words, Ed began to slowly calm down. Roy knew Ed needed to get all of his feelings out, but he also knew that Ed was not in the right mindset to talk about things like that.

"Roy, when can I get out of here?" Roy smiled at the fact that he was not accustomed to Ed calling him by his first name. He liked it. It was a total disregard for formality for once.

"Ed, how would you like to stay at my place? You have no where else to go you might as well…" Roy asked him, nervous about what his answer may be.

"Fine." Ok, now this really shocked Roy. Ed giving in that easily?

Roy tried to be as mature about handling Ed's response as possible. This was going to be a long recovery.

"I will take you-" Roy started to say until he was cut off by the doctor that walked into the room.

"I'm afraid I don't think that you can." The doctor said in a serious tone.

"And why the hell not?" Roy asked with a sharp tone, letting go of Ed.

"Because he can only leave with a legal guardian, which you are not."

"He does not have anyone else doctor, why can't I just take him with me?" Roy said starting to see the dilemma that was in front of him.

"Unless you manage to become his guardian in the next three hours, which I doubt, Mr. Elric will be sent to an orphanage."

"What?" Roy screamed out, he could feel Ed start to shake again.

"I'm sorry but those are the rules."

The doctor then stepped out of the room after checking Ed's IV.

Roy could not think of how he was possibly going to get out of this one. He then told Ed, "Ed, I need to go for a minute so that I can straighten this out ok?"

Ed began to tremble even more but after some internal debate, Ed nodded and slowly eased back onto his pillow.

"Ed I will take you home with me, I promise you." Roy said and then he left to go find the nearest phone booth.

Roy then dialed the only person that he knew would be able to quickly sort this out.

* * *

Maes appeared sometime later with the paperwork that they needed. Now all they needed was a signature from someone in a position of power.

They were starting to freak out until they saw the Fuehrer in the hospital waiting room. They ran to him and saluted.

"At ease men, it seems that I have broken one of my fingers today by having a door close on it." The Fuehrer stated with that creepy grin and laugh he always sported.

"Sir that is horrible, but it seems that we may have a problem with the Fullmetal Alchemist sir." Maes stated, knowing full well that Roy was in no position to be as patient.

"Well men, what seems to be the problem?"

* * *

Ed was starting to doubt whether or not Roy was going to keep his promise. He just couldn't take the loneliness anymore. Roy had been gone for almost three hours. There was only a couple minutes left before Ed would be shipped off to the nearest orphanage.

The doctor walked in and was followed by a lady with grey hair and a mean scowl.

"Mr. Elric, this is Ms. Fritzel, the head of the Central Orphanage for Troubled Teens. She is here to take you there." The doctor said with a smile that made Edward cringe.

Roy really didn't make it. Either that or he realized that Ed wasn't worth it to him and he decided against it. Ed painfully started to sit up. His ribs were sticking out against the restrictive bandages. His bruises that covered his body made it hard for him to actually move. It felt as if his muscle had turned to mush due to the serious bruising.

As hard as he tried to get up, neither the doctor nor Ms. Fritzel helped him. He knew very well that he would not be able to walk; he had no strength in the lower half of his body. Sitting up was causing him enough agony.

Roy then came barreling into the room with Hughes in tow. He ran to Edward's side and let Ed rest against him so Ed's pain would be eased.

"I thought I told you that you cannot take him since you are not-!" The doctor was then interrupted by a paper being shoved into his face by Hughes.

"According to Fuehrer King Bradley, Roy Mustang is now Edward's legal guardian until a true blood relative appears in person and claims Edward." Hughes said in a dignified tone. Both Hughes and Roy knew that Hohenheim was never going to make an appearance again, so they had nothing to worry about.

Roy then picked the injured boy up bridal style out of the bed and carried him out of the hospital towards his car, already having signed Ed out before.

Before Hughes left he said, "Now sir if you don't mind, you will expect to receive a complaint to your higher up about your dreadful treatment to Major Elric. Good day sir!" Hughes then stormed out and slammed the door behind him for effect.

Roy was already in the backseat holding Ed in his lap, murmuring comforting noises to help Ed cope with the unbearable pain.

Hughes crawled in the driver's seat and began to drive to Roy's house, making sure to be careful not to jostle the car too much.

He smiled as he looked up in the rear view mirror to see Roy actually showing compassion for another human being.

"Maes, what did you tell the Fuehrer?" Roy questioned. He was a little worried at the fact that Maes had brought Bradley into this at all.

Maes let out a deep breath before he replied, "I said that Elric was in the hospital because he had a slight concussion form his last mission and that the hospital wouldn't let him leave because he didn't have a guardian."

"Maes, Bradley can just look at his medical records and know that that is a lie!" Roy hissed careful not to wake Ed up.

"Um, no he wouldn't. You see Ed's attending nurse was Gracia's sister. She could make all of what happened tonight just go away." Maes said with a wink directed to the rearview mirror.

Roy let out a brief chuckle. Maes certainly did know what to do. If only Roy knew what to do about the child in his arms.

**I know, sappy ending. **

**Well in order for me to get motivated I need reviews people! Please and thanks! =D**


	4. What can I possibly do besides chase you

**Well I'm sorry this update took forever. I've been thinking of different ways to organize the plot for this story. I've decided on one approach to tackle Ed's change in behavior. I've also been trying to find ways to get some of the original characters back into this. **

**Well I hope that you like it!**

**Revised Dec. 29, 2011.**

**Chapter 4**

_What can I possibly do besides chase after you?_

Things had been quiet for a little while and Roy was starting to get a little worried. He knew that with Ed's medication that he was supposed to keep him asleep for awhile, but he never would have guessed for this long.

Roy was seated at his desk in the office that was located next to the guest bedroom that Ed was staying in. Occasionally he could hear Ed grunt in his sleep but it wasn't anything to be alarmed about.

Roy had taken Ed home two days ago and Ed had been in a comatose state ever since he left the hospital. The doctor said that his strange sleeping patterns could be attributed to the heavy dosage of medication he was administered before he left. Ed was not allowed to move due to his severe bruises and his broken ribs.

Roy stopped reading his report for a moment and let it drop from his hands onto the desk. The old desk lamp barely illuminated his office as he sat alone in the dark.

_How am I going to deal with him? _

The question hit him head on. Ed would have never latched himself onto Roy if he was in his right mind. He would have never asked for Roy's presence. He would have never agreed to even be placed in the same room as Roy let alone stay in Roy's house.

There were just too many questions and not enough answers. Roy felt overwhelmed as he placed his face in his hands and exhaled deeply. There was just too much going on, too many responsibilities to be held accountable for, and too much guilt building up.

What if Ed was to blame Roy for Al's death? After all it was Roy who sent them on the mission. Roy recalled Hughes answered this question for Roy already the night that Ed was taken to the hospital. Hughes already said that Ed would never blame him, he would blame himself. But then Roy recalled that back in the hospital he told Ed to blame him.

And he already has blamed himself to the extreme. Ed already tried to kill himself once, what if he tried to do it again?

Roy held back the strong desire he now had to go check on Ed, just to make sure that he was still alive. Roy had to control himself, he didn't want to get soft.

Roy then heard a knock from his front door. Roy went down the stairs and checked to see who it was before he let them in. He really didn't want company but he was willing to make an exception depending on who it was.

"Hey Roy come on open up! It's freezing out here!" Maes shouted from the other side of the door.

_Oh goody, its one of the "exceptions"_ Roy thought to himself. Truthfully he was just about to call Hughes to ask for his advice.

Roy opened his mahogany front door and let the chilled man come in.

"I was just about to call you," Roy stated

"I know, you are always 'about to call me' but you never get around doing it." Maes grumbled as he hung up his coat and scarf on Roy's coat rack.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Roy asked as they moved away from the entrance area and into his kitchen. Roy began to put a pot of coffee on as he turned back to Hughes.

"You know exactly what it means Roy. Whenever there is something wrong you always keep it to yourself and never really ask for help." Hughes said.

"That sounds familiar," Roy said as he sat at his small wooden table that was in the breakfast nook in the kitchen.

"Of course it does you moron. You and Ed are so alike, the only thing is that Ed has enough on his mind and he doesn't need you to be distracted. You are to busy playing the blame game with yourself that you don't realize that the kid needs you!"

"Hughes I'm already aware of the fact that he needs me, it's just that I don't know what to do. The Ed that was at the hospital was not the Ed that we know."

"Well duh Roy, of course he's not. But honestly, which one is better to deal with?" Hughes smirked, but changed his tone when he saw the look that Roy gave him.

"Okay all jokes aside, you really want to know why he acted the way he did? He was scared. Roy he just lost everything, he almost died by someone else's hand and his own hand. Plus you have to consider the fact that he was drugged beyond recognition."

Roy and Hughes sat there in silence for a couple moments to let Hughes's words sink in. the coffee sounded off that it was completed and Roy slunk off his chair to go prepare it.

"That coffee better put hair on my chest" Hughes grumbled. As he watched Roy served it up.

"Like you need any more hair on your chest you-" Roy started to reply back when he heard a thump followed by screams and curses upstairs.

Roy looked at Hughes wide-eyed. "Looks like sleeping beauty is awake, go Roy, forget about the coffee."

Roy followed his advice as he raced up the wooden staircase to the second story of the house, unaware of what he would face.

Hughes watched as Roy ran up the stairs to check on Ed. He then poured his coffee and sat back down.

"I wonder if he has any cookies…."

* * *

Roy's heart was pounding as he was afraid to what personality Ed would be in tonight. He could here mumbled curses and movement from within the room. He opened the door to find Ed nervously trying to figure out where he was while trying to slowly and painfully sit up.

"No, no, no Ed don't try to sit up you are not allowed to move." Roy said as he kept his distance just incase Ed felt threatened.

Ed shot his head up and looked at Roy. "Where the hell am I?" Ed asked.

"You are in my house; I took you home after you were dismissed from the hospital-"

"Hospital what hospital? Where am I? Who the hell are you?" Ed screamed frantically as his eyes darted all over the place.

"Ed what are talking about it's me!" Roy screamed back starting to get mad. What the hell was Ed trying to pull? He was getting a sinking feeling in his stomach. This was not good, there was no way that this could possibly be happening.

"I have no clue who the hell you are! Where's my brother? Get away from me!" Ed screamed as he tried to get away from Roy's reaching touch. Ed should not be moving at all.

Roy ran to the doorway and screamed out, "HUGHES!"

**OK I know that this update was incredibly short. I just wanted to use this chapter to connect the rest of the story. I wanted to use this to tie up loose ends that I have within the story. **

**Please also review my writing and give me encouragement! I love to hear from people and it motivates me to write even more! =] **


	5. Oh no it's a crisis!

**Okay guys! This chapter was kind of tricky to write since I just threw in the whole amnesia part and now I am making ways to try to link it all together. I definitely have a plan and I intend to stick to it! =] **

**Thank you all of you for all of your reviews! I love how everyone gave me a goo rating as well. That really helped me to write a lot. The goo rating doesn't really apply to this and the next couple of chapters but it will in the future. So thank you! O well on with the story! =]**

**Revised Dec. 29 2011**

**Chapter Five:**

_Oh no it's a crisis!_

Roy was going crazy. There was no way this could possibly be happening. There was just way too much going on right now.

"Edward, don't you remember me?" Roy asked a little gentler.

"No, I don't! Stop it don't come closer! Where's my mom? I want my mom! I want Al!"

"Ed please, I can't do that….don't you remember anything? Please Ed!"

Ed scoot farther back in his bed trying to get away from Roy as fast as possible.

"Where's my dad? Is he still here? He can't see me here!" His eyes were darting around the room in desperation.

"What? No Ed, he's not here. I have no idea where he is." Roy responded. Why would the kid be afraid if his father was here? Nothing was making sense.

"Oh God, oh God! No, no, no! I gotta get back so he won't be mad. He's going to be mad. I can't tell mom…" Ed kept muttering over and over to himself babble that didn't make sense to any of them.

"What the hell do we do Maes?" Roy looked at him hoping he had the right answer. Before Maes could respond Ed had started going into hysterics.

"My arm! What happened? Where is it? What is this? How'd I loose it?"

Ed was starting to hyperventilate. Roy rushed closer to try to calm him down. He had no idea how to deal with this situation. Why did everything with Ed have to be so damn complicated?

"Ed please, try to calm down. It's okay. I will explain everything I can, please calm down." Roy was almost begging as he approached the bed. Ed was too preoccupied to flinch away from Roy this time.

Roy held on to him and placed him in his arms for a quick hug so that he could keep the boy from flailing. We wanted to make sure not to damage his weak body any further.

Maes left the room temporarily, but Roy didn't seem to notice. He was too preoccupied trying to calm Ed's breathing down. Roy knew that the boy's lungs must be on fire from his heavy breathing. There was no way that his ribs were not protesting against him.

Roy found himself making nonsense hushing noises that would help to calm the boy's nerves. "Shhh..Shhh…it's ok… Shh…calm down Ed.." This seemed to help Ed and he rubbed his back still trying to calm him down.

'_What am I doing?'_ Roy thought. _'Its only an automatic response…'_

When Maes came back in the room he could tell that Ed was exhausted. His eyes were drooping slowly. He had worn himself out with all of the crying. Roy was busy trying to lay him down slowly without inflicting anymore damage to him.

"What happened?...what's going to happen?….what do I do?" Ed mumbled as he slowly laid his head against his pillow.

"I promise you, that we will talk about it when you wake up. Ok Ed? Just get some sleep. You are safe here. Just get some sleep. I promise when you wake up, things will be clearer." Roy assured as he grasped Ed's real hand.

Before Ed could say anything, his exhaustion got the better of him. And he drifted off to sleep. Roy slowly got up off the bed careful not to wake Ed up. He then cracked the door closed so that the light from downstairs would not bother Ed too much.

Roy sluggishly climbed down the stairs and took a look at the clock. _Damn, it's almost one in the morning._

Roy walked into his kitchen and plopped down once again in the comforting breakfast nook. Roy cupped his face in his hands and took in a deep breath.

"Hughes I'm sorry that you-" Roy began but before he could finish, he was stopped.

"Roy, don't apologize for keeping me out late. Gracia would completely understand. You know that she would. Besides I already called her early and let her know that I won't be getting home till later."

There was a long pause as Hughes waited for what Roy was going to say next.

"Maes, what are we going to do? If the military finds out about Ed's state of mind, they will certainly kick him out of the military!"

"I know, but maybe that will be good that they take him out of active duty. I mean he no longer needs to keep his job in the military to get his brother's body back.." Hughes mumbled.

"No besides that. They will just institutionalize him so that if he does get better they could interrogate the hell out of him in order to find out what happened on that mission."

"I know Roy. That is why we cannot have any of the doctors from the military or the state examine him. But he really dos need help. We don't know anything about his mental condition right now. We need a doctor." Hughes sighed as he got up and poured himself yet another cup of coffee.

"I think I know who we can get. He would keep his discretion as well."

"Really?" Hughes sounded off with uncertainty.

Hughes walked over to where Roy was sitting as he picked up a pad and paper and scribbled an address. He then handed the paper to Hughes who read it.

"You've gotta be kidding me…" was all Hughes said before he downed the rest of his coffee.

"Can you get him or should I?" Roy asked.

"Roy you go, I'll handle Ed. After all it's going to be a pain in the ass to get **him** to help."

* * *

Roy knocked on the door to the small beaten up house. He kept knocking for over five minutes before he began to hear some grumbling from the other side of the door.

"What the hell do you want? What could you possibly want? It's two-thirty in the morning!" Roy heard from the other side of the door.

When the door opened there stood Dr. Knox in his pajamas with a pissed off look.

"Ugh it's you, what do you want?" Knox screamed obviously upset.

"I have a curious job for you."

"Who died?" Knox almost chuckled.

"The patient is still living, and needs to be kept secret from the state." Roy said as he stared at Knox with a serious look.

Knox raised his eyebrows, turned, and then motioned for Roy to come inside of the house.

"You look like hell." Knox stated matter-of-factly.

"This situation is doing hell to me." Roy replied as he began to look around Knox's house.

"What does this _situation_ involve?" Knox asked as he plopped down on an over-used armchair.

"Something that the military must not know has happened. If they do then the patient's job and future will be put in jeopardy." Roy said still holding the threatening gaze that demanded that Knox kept all these little tidbits a secret.

"Alright, you got me. Who is it?" Knox asked.

"You ever hear of the Fullmetal Alchemist?" Roy asked after taking a pause judging whether or not he should have leaked the name.

"That kid? What is he like twelve?" Knox asked. Roy nodded. "And this boy is involved in a conspiracy theory?" Knox asked with a questioning glare.

"Not exactly…." Roy responded which only made Knox raise an eyebrow.

* * *

Ed rolled around in his sleep. His body ached too much and there was no way that he would be able to sleep comfortably.

Only a little bit ago was it that he had woken up and thrown into this foreign world filled with equally foreign people. The one man Hughes, he did not really get a chance to know or to talk to him, so he was still unsure about his character.

Roy, on the other hand, was the one that helped him. What was his relationship with this man? Did he know his father? How could Ed know that he could trust him?

Hughes must have heard Ed rolling around in bed because he came up stairs to check on Ed.

"Hey Ed, you okay?" Hughes asked and only got a moan in response. That was so like Ed.

"What's the matter kid?" Hughes asked while lightly placing a hand on his shoulder which caused a flinch at first from Ed. This did not go unnoticed by Hughes.

"I'm so confused. I don't know anything! Why don't I know anyone?" Ed asked, frustration building up in his voice.

"Hopefully you will remember. Is there anything in particular you want to ask about?" Hughes asked Ed. This definitely got Ed's attention as he tilted his head to make eye contact with Hughes and asked,

"Where are my mother and brother?"

**Okay guys! Please make sure that you review so that it will encourage me to write quicker!**

**Hope you liked it! And please REVIEW! I need to know if I'm making good changes!**


	6. Where is she? I see her right now!

**Hey guys! Well please enjoy and I hope that you review!**

**Revised Dec. 29 2011**

**Chapter 6**

_Where is she? I see her right now!_

Roy walked back into his house and he was greeted by the sounds of a crying Edward and Hughes trying to stop the crying.

Roy raced up the stairs, forgetting about Knox, and walked into the room. He saw Ed sitting up against a couple pillows and Hughes sitting on the edge of the bed trying to calm him down.

Roy pushed Hughes aside and took his place beside Ed on the bed. "Ed calm down its ok, you're fine. What got you so upset?"

"I don't even know who you are! Where is my family?" Ed tried to scream through his sore throat but to no avail.

"Ed my name is Colonel Roy Mustang. When you remember, I am your boss. You work for the military as a state alchemist." Roy told Ed as he looked him straight in the eye.

"That's not even possible you liar! I can't work for the military I'm only twelve!" Ed screamed not believing Roy at all.

"You are known as the Fullmetal Alchemist. You are the youngest person to ever work for the military and pass the Alchemy exam." Roy stated yet again in the same calm strong tone.

Ed still looked a little disbelieving. "Ed I don't expect you to remember anything now. I just want you to behave while my friend checks you out. Can you do that for me kiddo?" Roy asked again.

"I guess sir, but then afterward can you answer my questions? Please sir." Ed asked with pleading eyes.

'_Sir? What the hell….?' _Roy thought with a raised eyebrow.

This Ed was so different then the hothead that he knew. This Ed was vulnerable and he was worried. He is surrounded by people he doesn't know. The worst part is that he doesn't know what had happened to his family members. Ed must have had some sort of amnesia.

Everyone was afraid to explain to Ed that they both died. He even freaked out at the fact that he had automail. What does Ed actually remember?

"Yes Ed, I will answer whatever I can." Roy answered as he squeezed Ed's real hand reassuringly.

Ed took a couple of moments to look at him before he let go of Roy's hand and nodded.

Dr. Knox then rolled up his sleeves and placed his doctor's bag on the bed.

"Now Edward, you need to tell me exactly where the pain is and the degree of the pain. I know that whoever did this to you did a number on you."

"Ok sir, I'll cut to the chase, I hurt EVERYWHERE and the sore and aching on the pain scale is explosion level." Ed said as he took in a big gulp. This was the first time that Roy noticed how tired the young alchemist was. His eyes were drooping and sunken in.

'_Ed never admits to pain…why did he now?'_ Roy thought. Ed really was not in his normal mind.

"Ok, now I m going to give you a sedative so that I can move you around without causing you pain. Ok?" Knox asked. It was odd for him to be so kind.

Knox then prepped the needle and reached to swab Ed's arm when Ed had a flashback….

_He was standing in the house and he saw is mom lying on the floor, she was barely breathing. He heard screaming around him he thought it was Al._

_Then the situation changed, now she was lying in a bed, looking deathly pale. Ed was still screaming, he didn't know what was wrong. _

_He saw a doctor next to her, prepping a needle, he injected it into her arm, and she started to violently thrash around. She was seizing and the doctor tried to hold down his mother. Ed was still screaming, he couldn't stop himself from screaming._

"_MOM! MOM!" He kept screaming her name. _

_The needle made her sick, she was allergic to whatever was in the syringe. Before he could find out what was happening, he felt himself being drawn back from the memory…._

"Ed! Edward!" Roy was screaming as he was trying to shake the sense into the younger alchemist.

"No mom! What happened to her? The needle! She was in trouble! She was seizing! What happened? Where is she?" Ed screamed, totally forgetting about the pain that he was in.

"Knox give him the damn sedative!" Hughes screamed as he was holding Ed down on the opposite side that Roy was holding him down.

Ed managed to slip out of Roy's grasp and he punched Roy in the face with his automail fist. Roy howled in pain as the blood began to drip from a gash above his eye. Roy was momentarily stunned but now with a push of adrenaline he was able to resume his post and hold the scared Ed down.

Knox slipped past Hughes and quickly injected the sedative while Ed was screaming. Ed then slowly drifted off into state of unconsciousness. His body fell limp and he fell back into the pillows.

"Geez that was fast Knox, what the hell did you give him?" Hughes mused.

"Let's just say he won't be awake for a couple of days, and when he does, he will have a splitter of a headache." Knox stated as he prepped his materials. "Do you have the report that the hospital gave you?"

"Yes I do, it's in the kitchen." Roy responded before he left to go into the kitchen.

While in the kitchen, Roy looked at the clock. _Damn, it's already five in the morning. Riza is going to kill me if I don't go into the office. _

Roy grabbed the papers and headed back up the stairs. He handed the papers over to Knox who was seated in the armchair next to Ed's bed.

"Hughes, go home get some rest. The both of us are here now. It's fine. Thank you for all of your help." Roy said as he faced Hughes.

"Alright, you guys are in for a long day anyway. Gracia needs me to. Hope you guys make progress with Ed. Roy, keep me in the loop. And stay away from _that_ cabinet." Hughes finished before he went downstairs and left the house.

Roy knew that Hughes was only trying to help him monitor his drinking. Roy desperately wanted to just drown his frustrations in a bottle of whiskey but he knew that Ed did not need that from him.

"Roy come here, so I can stitch you up real quick." Knox said as he pointed to another chair in the room.

Roy sat down and let Knox clean and then stitch up the gash above his eye. It took ten stitches to heal the deep wound.

"Geez the kid really does pack a punch doesn't he?" Knox mused.

"Knox, please help him heal. He needs serious medical help." Roy pleaded.

"It's not just a doctor that the boy needs. You can't keep avoiding the boy's questions." Knox grunted as he finished up the stitches. "I'm going to look over what the hospital has written down. When the time comes, I'm going to need you to tell me what the hospital left out."

Roy nodded, "Knox, I'm going to take a nap before I report to work. Can you please wake me up at 8:30?" Roy asked.

"Yeah I'll wake you up in a little bit. I got a lot of paperwork to look through before I even get started on him." Knox then gestured his head in Ed's general direction. "This kid has been hospitalized more times than even you Mustang." Knox grunted.

Roy left Knox to his work and he fell asleep in his clothes in his bedroom next door. He hoped that he could at least sleep well, but with everything that has been going on, that would probably not be possible.

**Hey guys! I hoped that you liked this chapter! I will now update as fast as possible. Now that school is over I don't have anything to worry about. **

**Please review! I love to get reviews because 1. They make my day 2. I know what to improve and 3. The more I get the more I want to update! **

**So please review and alert so that you can be prepared for the update! =] thanks for reading!**


	7. What's the deal Doc? How is he?

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry that it took so long for me to update. I actually recently moved over the summer and I've been working so this has been the only free time that I've actually had lol.**

**I strongly welcome any criticisms on the story itself and I strongly welcome any ideas that you may have or any input you may have on the story itself. **

**Well, I hope you enjoy!**

**Revised Dec. 29 2011**

**Chapter Seven:**

"_What's the deal doc? How is he? Can he still play the game?"_

Roy awoke with a start as he felt someone grasp his shoulder blade. He hadn't been woken up so firmly since Ishbal. He sat right up immediately, body erect, but his eyes were still groggy.

"It's time for you to get ready for work Mustang." Knox muttered as he began to walk away from the bedroom.

Roy then shrugged off his reaction, trying to cover it up. Roy then yawned and wiped the sleep away from his still tired eyes. "Knox, how is he? What happened to him?"

Knox paused at the doorway, not looking at Roy. He was seemed to be stunned a little by Roy's question.

"Roy, get ready for work. When you are done getting ready I'll explain it to you then."

Roy started to get up off of the bed, "But Knox-"

"Damn Roy, will you just listen to me? Just get the hell ready and meet me downstairs. You need to feed me anyway." With that being said, Knox slammed Roy's door.

Roy was expecting to hear Ed wake up in the next room after hearing the door slam, but nothing happened. Knox kept his word, Ed was knocked out cold.

As Roy took a hot shower, he began to think about what could have truly happened with Ed. He made a list in his head about what he has been noticing with Ed's condition.

_He doesn't remember his mother's death._

_He doesn't remember his brother's death._

_He doesn't remember losing his limbs or the transmutation._

_He doesn't know anyone._

_He doesn't remember that he's in the military._

_He doesn't remember that his father left…_

Roy then stumbled on the thought of Ed's father. Ed seemed to act differently about his father then he normally would have. The usual Ed hated his father with a passion. This Ed seemed to actually be afraid of his father.

Roy stepped out of the shower and started to get dressed. As he sat on his bed to put his shoes on, the thought hit him. _What could his father have done to him?_

Roy froze as tons of possibilities floated through his head. He was roused out of his thoughts as a heavy bang erupted at his door.

"Come on princess, you can't get any prettier. If you keep looking at that mirror it's going to break from having to deal with your ugly face." Knox grumbled from the other side of the door.

Oh he was such a nice guy. Roy finished getting ready and he left his room. He quickly checked on Ed to see if he was ok. Ed's comatose form did not give any hint of emotion, he was just breathing soundly.

_Since when have I cared enough to check on him? This is not me. Everyone is acting out of sorts in dealing with Ed. _Roy thought. _And when did I start calling him Ed? I need to stop that…_

Roy then walked down his stairs into his comfy kitchen.

"Did your stockings give you trouble dear?" asked Knox with a cool tone and a straight face.

"Shut up Knox." Roy grumbled as he opened his fridge.

"You are out of orange juice." Knox remarked as he sat reading the paper while drinking a full glass of orange juice.

"I can see that." Roy mused as he looked over the fridge door. He reached instead for the milk.

"So are you going to feed me?" Knox asked grumpily, not even looking up from his paper.

"I can't cook. I don't know how. My culinary skills stop at toast." Roy then took out a box of cereal from the cabinet.

"Well then this sucks."

"Why do you say that?" Roy asked as he grabbed two bowls.

"I don't know how to cook either. And if I eat any more take out my cholesterol will go through the roof." Knox said as he took the cereal from Roy and filled his bowl up.

"Well enough about your cholesterol. How is Fullmetal?" Roy asked as he took a bite from his cereal.

"Fullmetal?" Knox mused at the use of Ed's state name. "Well, which would you like me to address first? His medical status or the amnesia?"

"Um, I'll take his medical status…"

"Good choice. Well his bruising is the most dramatic case that I've ever come across, including the bodies that I've seen in Ishbal. They are so deep throughout his body that his tissue is literally pulpy. Besides not letting him move around, I have some medications that I can start giving him and putting them on the bruises. He's going to need a steroid to give him the strength to fight against his injuries. He is also going to need to remain on an IV drip and also he is going to need to have feeding tubes on him to give him nutrients until he will be able to stay awake."

"So, he's not going to wake up anytime soon?" Roy asked.

"No, I don't want him awake for a while. He will be in too much pain to be able to stay awake. Plus we need to save the pain medication for when he is fully awake. But that is the medication part of _Fullmetal_."

"Is that all? I thought he has broken bones?" Looking up from his cereal inquisitively.

"Yes he does. He has a couple of broken and cracked ribs. He is way to skinny for his age and he is also in my opinion too young to be wearing such heavy automail."

"What makes you say that?" Roy inquired. "I mean the automail is heavy, but I've seen children much younger than Ed with automail."

"Yes but they do not have the type of automail that Ed is forced to have?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, Ed's automail is a lot heavier and a lot bulkier than normal automail so that he could use it to fight and defend himself. He needs the heavier model because it gives him a lot more material to alchemically work with and it also is more durable through fights."

"I never really thought about that."

"Well it wasn't until after he decided to join the military that he got grafted for automail." Knox remarked. "That's also probably why he is so short for his age. Besides the fact that he is malnourished-"

"But he eats all the time!" Roy interjected.

"That doesn't matter in his case. He is lugging around extra weight. He is _fighting_ with extra weight. The automail weighs about eighteen pounds each! He is also probably not sleeping on a regular basis. The military life is too much for him Mustang."

There was a silence for a while as both men ate their cereal. Both were contemplating what had just been said. Finally Roy interrupted, "What else is there about the medical side?"

"Well, I'm a little concerned with what he mentioned earlier about his mom getting sick from what a doctor gave her. We will have to be careful of what we give him just in case something like that happens. It has already been placed on his medical record that he is allergic to nuts, bees, and shellfish."

"Wow, I didn't know that. I gotta be careful then. Well, before we talk further let me refill the coffee."

"You look like you need it." Knox grumbled. "What is also odd is that Ed has not had a regular check up at a doctor's office since he was five."

"Well I mean I don't know if you've seen Resembool but things are quite slow down there. It would take forever to go all the way to get to a regular doctor. Besides, he got one not too recently when he entered the military."

"Oh yes, and they are quite thorough. He had to get twelve immunizations when he got his military physical!" Knox stated.

"I'm surprised they even managed to give them to him!" Roy sat back down at the cozy breakfast table.

"Well, now comes the rough part, the amnesia. Ed suffered from amnesia due to the high level of stress and shock that was put on his body. Whatever happened that gave him that torturous amount of bruising is a mystery but that began the process with the shock. He had his full memories at the hospital correct?" Knox asked.

"Yes he did. He seemed out of sorts but he didn't show any signs of amnesia then."

"Well it's not uncommon, but I think that after getting a place to stay and after his suicide attempt, I think that reality finally caught up with him again. I think that since he finally had a chance to rest without stress or worry, everything caught up with him." Knox said as he motioned for Roy to refill his coffee cup.

"As you can guess, he is still aware of alchemy and its uses, but he cannot remember the anything that has traumatized him or that has left an impact throughout his life in a negative aspect."

"How are Hughes and I a negative impact?" Roy asked demanding an answer. He knew that Ed did not like him, but to be considered as a negative impact on his life was a stretch.

"You seem to misunderstand. It is not the people in the military that have left the negative impact on him. It is the military itself that has left an impact on him. With the many hospitalizations and the enemies, and everything that he has seen and has been forced to do. The military is no place for a young boy. No matter what alchemical skill he has." Knox was mad that Ed was even allowed to be a part of the military.

"I know, but that was the only alternative that I could have given him. I mean unfortunately he signed a military contract that binds him until he is seventeen. There is nothing that I can do. If the military finds out about Ed's condition and state of mind, then they will discharge him and place him in a military run asylum so they can make sure that he doesn't give away any secrets."

"Well we both know that the whole military is absurd when it comes to that. Hey don't you gotta leave soon?"

"Aw heck, I'm going to be late!" Roy then gathered everything then ran out of the house.

Knox then went up Ed's room to check on him, he was running a slight fever. It looked like Knox and Roy were both in for a long day…

**Well guys, I hoped you liked this chapter. I'm still trying to fill in the blanks from where I left off the last time. Like I said in the beginning, I am well aware that both Roy and Ed are acting out of character. **

**All types of reviews are welcomed, but please if the way I write or if my characters really bother you, please stop reading rather than attack me with raging flaming comments! **

**Well for all of those that do love my story, I really appreciate all of your support and help in guiding me to actually update this story! **

**PLEASE REVIEW! ESPECIALLY NOW THAT IT'S REVISED! :D**

**Well until next time! 3**


	8. Another day, another waiting game

**Hey guys!**

**Well I decided to edit chapters 2-7. Trust me now the story is waaaaaay better and it makes a lot more sense. Before you read this update please go back and read the story from the beginning. The changes make the story a lot more enjoyable!**

**Well onto the story! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8**

'_Another day, another waiting game, a little different but it's still the same.'_

Roy walked into the office and immediately everyone's eyes fell on him as he walked towards his office. He pretended to pay them no mind. He was way too tired to even refute their stares or to argue with him.

Roy then slumped into his desk chair, letting the soft leather envelope him. Oh, he could just fall asleep right now. He began to let his eyes close until a shot went off and he leapt off the chair almost having a heart attack in the process.

"Colonel Mustang sir!" Hawkeye yelled from across the room. The Colonel was peeking at her from behind the desk, trying to hide from the intimidating woman.

Noticing that he was cowering like a fool, he quickly got back into his chair and replied, "Yes Lieutenant?"

Hawkeye closed the door behind her then walked up to the Colonel's desk.

"How is Fullmetal, sir?" She asked.

"He is in bad condition both physically and mentally. I brought Knox to live with me also. I need you to keep this quiet." He said, knowing full well that she would anyway without him saying it.

"Are you going to tell the others yet?" Hawkeye asked she was wondering how many people were actually aware.

"No, I have not alerted the others. I do not want to tell anyone until I absolutely need to. We need to keep this quiet. I cannot even tell Ed's family in Resembool what had happened to Alphonse in fear of someone finding out." Roy stated. It truly was sad, but it had to be this way in order for things to be safe for Ed.

"I do not wish to speak of this anymore." Roy remarked and Hawkeye just nodded, understanding completely. She would not push it any farther.

Hughes then burst in through the door, "Roy! How are you today? Long time no see!"

Roy gave him the iciest glare that he could manage. _'How could he be so awake? I'm barely functioning right now!' _Roy thought to himself, contemplating whether or not he wanted to burn the man.

Hughes then got closer to Roy and leaned over his desk "I have something you might find useful". He gave a quick look to the Lieutenant who took that as a hint to take her leave as she closed the door behind her.

"How was he after I left? Better yet, what did you _do_ after I left?" Hughes asked before he walked back to a couch and plopped into it.

"I _didn't_ drink if that is what you are implying." Roy said harshly. The tone went unnoticed by Hughes.

"You better not be drinking. You are a different person as soon as u pick up that glass, Ed does not need that person."

"Enough of this," Roy said as he waved his hands around. "What did you really come here to share with me?"

"I thought last night about why Ed might have feared his father so much. I did the research in his prior medical records that were transferred over from Resembool, there are some entries that were in there that puzzled me. He suffered some mysterious injuries as a child. But one incident takes the cake."

Hughes then stood up and handed the file to Roy and pointed to a section that he had circled with a pen.

Roy read it and his eyes bugged out. "WHAT?" Roy screamed as he looked it over. Roy then threw the folder of his desk disgusted. "Why? How could that have happened to him?" Roy's face showed that he was furious.

If he had his gloves on, he would have burned the horrible document right before him.

Hughes just sat there, also feeling the rage boil inside of him. He silently wished that he could get hold of Ed's monster of a father and skin him alive.

* * *

Knox was starting to wonder what he was going to do about Ed. Knox knew that he needed to get some sleep, but Ed's fever was starting to rise. It wasn't uncommon due to the stress that Ed's body was in but it was rising quite fast.

Knox took the towel that was on the boy's face and used it to mop up the kid's face. He then dipped it in the cold water bowl that was next to him. Knox then carefully wrung it out before he placed it back on the boy's head.

Knox then placed a hand on the boy's automail. _'Damn, it's starting to get hot also.'_ He cursed.

There was nothing that Knox could give him that wouldn't interfere with the medicine that was already being pumped into the boy.

Ed was murmuring in his sleep, something that Knox could not make out. Ed was starting to groan in pain. The child must be waking up, which was sort of impossible but it was probable. Knox needed to dose him again.

Knox was not so quick to drug the boy again though. Knox wanted to check if the boy's memory was getting any better.

Ed's eyes clamped shut in pain, his fists were clenching to the point where the fingernails on his real hand were digging into the skin. He bit onto his lower lip to stop himself from screaming. When his teeth went through his bottom lip, he finally gave in and began to scream.

Knox couldn't take it any longer, so he fished into his bag and quickly grabbed a vial of the medicine and injected it into Ed's arm.

The boy quickly fell under and the tension began to fade away from his face. His hands lost their strength as they stopped clenching and they fell loose. Knox let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm sorry I didn't give it to you sooner. I should not have let you confront that much pain. It seems that your life is already full of so much of it." Knox then covered Ed up again and checked his temperature. Ed's temperature rose slightly thanks to the ordeal.

Knox then wiped up the small trail of blood that dribbled down the boy's chin. He then contemplated whether or not he should stitch the boy's lip up.

_It seems that he bit right through his bottom lip, he will need at least three or four stitches. _ Knox then grabbed the supplies.

_Let me do this and then I'll catch up on some sleep…_

When Knox woke up he looked over at the clock on the nightstand it read 5:55 in glowing red.

"God dammit! I was supposed to be up three hours ago!" Knox rushed down the hallway and burst through Ed's door. Right away he could hear the child moaning as soon as he got to the room. Ed's fever was rising too much, he needed to find a way to get it down and fast. He grabbed the boy and ran to the bathroom.

* * *

When Roy got home he quickly went to Ed's room; however neither Knox nor Ed were in there.

"We are in here Mustang," he heard Knox's voice, '_From the bathroom?' _Roy thought.

Roy opened up the bathroom door to find Knox holding Ed on his lap in the cold shower. Both were fully clothed and soaking wet.

"What the hell are you doing?" Roy asked puzzled.

"Ed's fever rose and I needed to get it down fast. His automail is heating up fast too which isn't helping things. He's going to need a change of clothing." Knox implied Roy get the clothes for Ed.

Roy returned with a pair of his own pajamas. "I don't know where Ed's suitcase could even be. The hospital didn't give it to us. It may be back in his dorm. But these will have to do for now."

Knox grunted and lifted the boy up, "Here take him real quick so I can get out of here."

Roy picked up Ed gently, and he found that the boy's automail was freezing. "Well don't just stand there! We got to get him dressed quickly."

"Knox, his automail is freezing!" Roy couldn't believe that it could have been good for Ed.

"The automail while it is cold will cool the boy off and actually reduce his fever. It's like a cool towel let's just say."

They began to undress and redress the boy. The pajamas were swimming on Ed.

"Too bad he's not awake. He'd know how to transmute the clothes into a smaller size." Roy mused.

"You can't do that? Aren't you an Alchemist?" Knox then scooped Ed into his arms and carried him to the bedroom.

"No I can't do that. I've been too many years out of practice. I've specialized in Flame Alchemy for the longest. I wouldn't dare try regular Alchemy now after all this time."

Knox placed Ed gently on the bed, careful not to jostle the boy too much.

"Now we get to the fun part, trying to keep his fever down. Watch him while I take my own shower. He should be fine, but just stay here while he settles down. I gave him another dosage so he should be knocked out again." Knox then left and exited into his own room.

'_All of rooms are filled now. I think this is the first time all of them were actually used' _Roy thought.

Roy didn't have any family so it wasn't unlikely that his house was always empty. He let Havoc stay the night in one of the rooms awhile back because he had drank so much that he barely knew his name.

But this was different. Never in a million years would he imagine Edward Elric and Knox staying in his house. Those were the two people that were probably the least likely to be staying with Roy.

Roy noticed that Ed had stitches on his bottom lip. He figured Ed must've bit through it. Roy then placed his hands on the bandage near his eye. Roy needed to be careful. Ed really could go into defense mode and cause some serious damage.

Knox came back into the room cleaning his glasses after his shower. "Knox, should we find some way to get his automail off?" Roy asked.

"Why the hell would we do that?"

"Well if he does accidentally wake up or if he goes to hurt someone? He gave me a hell of a punch."

Knox put is glasses on and moved to Ed's bedside where he then checked the boy for a fever. Surprisingly, it had lessened considerably.

"Well, let's wait until his fever lessens a little more. It will go down but we need to wait."

"I'm sick of waiting!" Roy screamed. "It seems that all we are doing is waiting!"

"Well what the hell do you think else we can do? Seriously Roy? You asked me for my help and I am giving it to you! Hell, I left my house just so I could take care of your little "job". This will be a long recovery."

And it was. Weeks went by as Ed slipped in and out of consciousness. The bruises had lessened considerably but it was still a long road. They had stripped Ed of his automail during the first week after his body temperature had finally regulated.

Knox stayed with Mustang at his house and decided to use up his vacation time that he had built up over the years.

"Why don't you just quit Knox? Seriously, you know you are going to run out of time." Roy said one night over dinner. Tonight it was time to eat Xiangese.

"Because I know that I am going to quit eventually. Why should I just give up all my paid vacation time? I'd rather not work and get paid for as long as I can."

"What do you plan on doing after you quit?"

"Obviously stay with you _sweetheart_" Knox grumbled.

Roy just laughed. Knox certainly was an interesting guy.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Roy brought Ed to his house and Ed physically was doing much better. They hoped that Ed's memory would improve after the physical damage.

"Remind me why we can't just wake Ed up and deal with him now. It's been two and a half weeks and I can tell that his bruising is for the most part gone." Roy said as Knox and he were sitting at the breakfast table.

"I want him to be healed as much as possible before we wake him up. We can't have him thrashing around or hurting himself even more. You saw his reaction when he first woke up."

"Yeah, so when can we actually do it?"

Knox looked up from his cereal and looked at Roy. "Tomorrow. I want to wake him up tomorrow."

The next day after Roy came home form work he went up to Ed's bedroom where he found Knox reading a book at the table in Ed's bedroom.

"You ready princess?" Knox mused as he dog-eared the page that he left off on in his book.

Knox then grabbed the syringe that was already prepped on the table and took of the cap. He then went to Ed's IV and injected the liquid into it.

"Now the effects aren't going to be instantaneous but he probably will have a killer headache."

Ten minutes later, Ed was starting to come to. His eyes began to blink as he tried to get the light out of his eyes.

"Edward, its Mustang. Do you know who I am?"

"Mustang?" Ed replied with a confused voice.

**Well does he remember who Mustang is? You'll have to find out next time! Muhuhahaha **

**Ok so please I know this chapter was meant to pass a lot of time but trust me things will get interesting in the next chapters! Well please. Review! I need to know if u guys like the story and also if you guys like the changes that I made in the previous chapters! Please go back and read those! I spent a lot of time on those. **

**Well until next time! Please review so I can write faster! Thank you! :D**


	9. Let's see how far we've come

**Hey guys! I hope that you are all enjoying this story. To be quite honest with you, I think that this is the only story I have right now that I am really working hard to update.**

**I am a humongous FMA fan and I'm happy because I was able to get all the Brotherhood DVDs for Christmas. I am also happy because I was able to get into the college I really want to go to. Well, I hope you guys like this one!**

**Chapter Nine:**

_Let's see how far we've come…_

Ed looked at Roy as Roy made his way to the bed. "Ed, do you know who I am?"

"Yeah, Colonel Bastard, where the hell am I?" Ed said as he looked at Roy with a frown.

"And where's my automail?"

"What a mouth that kid has…" Knox mused as he went back to his small table.

"We had to take it off, because you've been out of it for quite a while." Roy said as he sat at the end of Ed's bed.

"What do you mean quite a while? What the hell is going on?" Ed was starting to get angry. He sat up in bed and was staring now at Mustang. "What happened?"

"What do you remember last Edward?" Roy asked in a softer tone. He knew that arguing with the kid would get him no where.

"Why the hell are you calling me that?" Ed gave him a weird face.

"Answer the question brat we don't have all day." Knox grumbled as he lit a cigarette.

"Who are you?"

"The man who saved you, now get answering or I'll put you to sleep again." Knox said as he filled up a needle with the medication.

"Alright, alright. Put that damn thing away, will you? The last thing I remember was that I was at Atlezotope with Al-" Ed's face then turned into fear. "Where is he?"

Knox tensed a little bit he remembered his last conversation with Roy…

"_Knox, I found something out about Ed today. Maes stopped by the office and he shared something he found from a criminal file way back."_

"_And this relates to the boy how?" Knox lit a cigarette. They were sitting in Roy's family room, listening to the radio._

"_His father. I figured out why Ed was so afraid of him being there the other night."_

"_What did the bastard do?"_

"_Ed's father was known for being a drunk, but he was never known to be aggressive. One day people passing by Ed's house found Ed beaten and tied outside to a tree."_

"_Sick bastard, he outta die." Knox then tapped his cigarette against the ashtray._

"_Well that was the day before Hohenheim left town. The next day he ran off missing. Ed's mother claimed that she had no idea what had happened. The doctors found that the reported incident wasn't the first time he was mistreated. Nothing had happened to Al, al was never mistreated. They believe that Ed was his only target. Rumors say his dad went crazy on him because Ed looks just like him."_

"_Well that's just sick. I can see why the kid freaked out that one night. Kid must have a strong protective streak after that and after having to take care of his brother for so many years. Speaking of which, what are you going to tell him if he ask about his brother?" Knox looked over to Roy._

_Roy responded, "The truth."_

It took Roy a little while before he answered Ed's question about Al. "Your brother is back in Resembool." Knox cringed a little bit, but he dared not to look at Roy. Knox knew that Ed would not believe him.

"Al told me that he will call you in about a month or two because your mechanic and he were going to go on a trip." Roy knew that Ed was going to try to call the Rockbell household if Roy did not come up with an excuse.

"Alright, so what about my automail?" Ed asked.

'_He actually believed that?'_Roy could not_believe_ that Ed just gave in so easily. Maybe Al had wanted to take a trip beforehand and had mentioned it to Ed.

"Um, we don't know how to attach it." Roy hoped that Ed knew how because Roy did not want to have to call the Rockbell family.

"Yeah, I should have a manual in my suitcase, but that is back at my dorm. I remember because I forgot it for the trip to Atlezotope." Ed had a feeling that he had missed quite a bit.

"Okay, I'll send Havoc over to go get it for us. I'm going to work on dinner. Knox, what can he eat?" Roy asked the man as he got off the bed. Ed looked at him funny. Ed didn't understand why Roy had asked this 'Knox' what he could eat and not Ed himself.

"Well, he can't have solids just yet. That will just hurt his stomach. He could have mashed potatoes or just cream soup." Knox said as he started to clean up the table. The table had accumulated stacks of papers and files and coffee mugs.

"Ok, so where should I order tonight?" Roy asked as he paused in the doorway.

"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Ed asked. _Where the hell am I?_

"I recommend Fogliani's they make a mean-" Knox started to say before Ed cut him off.

"HELLO, CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHERE I AM?" Ed screamed out at full blast.

"You're at my house." Roy responded. "Do you need help getting out of bed?"

"No I don't I've managed without limbs in the past." Ed started to get out from under the sheets.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" Knox started to say as he stood there and crossed his arms. He waited for what he knew was going to happen.

"I'm fine gramps I-" Ed couldn't finish his sentence because next thing he knew he was on the ground. "What the-"

"Your muscles have been out of commission for a month. You need to slowly work on building them up before they can fully function again. This 'gramps' knew that twerp. I suggest you listen next time." Knox growled before he took the mugs and papers out of the room.

Roy walked and kneeled down next to Ed. "Don't let him get to you. He has a worse chip on his shoulder than you believe it or not. But he's alright. You'll get used to him."

Ed just looked at him with a glare that could freeze ice. He was still sprawled out on the floor.

Roy stood up and then grabbed Ed by his waist and picked him up off the ground. "Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Ed started to thrash around.

"Quit it will you? How do you expect to get downstairs? By crawling?" Roy asked as he lifted Ed onto the bed. The kid was extremely light without his automail. Ed was fit but he was considerably underweight. His muscle was way too lean. They would have to fix that. Maybe having his automail off was a good thing for a while. He would have to talk to Knox about that later.

Ed pouted. "Now that's a mature face. Come on, it's not that bad that I have to carry you." Ed glared at him again but it didn't phase Roy at all. "Ok, so will you please let me take you downstairs? I need to clean up and stuff down there."

Ed nodded his head hesitantly. Roy then picked him up and walked out of his room. "I'll give you a quick tour of the upstairs." Roy showed Ed where Knox's room was, the bathroom and the guest bedroom. "This is my room, and the next door is my office. Chances are I will be there A LOT thanks to all of the damn paperwork. But I also have a library in there you can check out sometime. It has a lot of good books but chances are you read all of them already." Roy then started to head downstairs.

"Mustang, I'm tired." Ed said when they finally reached downstairs. Roy spotted Knox in the kitchen on the phone calling in their food order. Ed looked like he was starting to drift off. "Yeah, I'll put you down on the couch for right now." Roy did just that and covered Ed with the blanket that was on the couch.

Ed was surprised on how decorated Roy's house was. The walls were a light olive color and the window furnishings were a light chocolate. Roy had pictures of his friends on the walls and he had a piano in the corner. Ed could see that all of the furniture was warm and inviting rather than rigid. The place was extremely clean and it smelled like cinnamon. Ed hated to admit it, but he didn't mind having to stay here. Before he knew it, he started to drift off to sleep.

Roy knew that Ed was going to fall asleep quickly. At least he was healed for the most part. Roy was starting to freak out thinking about what would happen if Ed was to remember. What would happen if Ed were to start asking questions?

Roy quickly called Havoc and asked if he could pick up Ed's suitcase and the food so he could eat with them.

* * *

When Havoc arrived, Roy thought it would be a good idea to wake Ed up.

"Mmmmrghph I don't wanna get up Mustang leave me the hell alone….." Ed grumbled as he tried to snuggle into the couch more.

"I don't think so kid." Roy said as he lifted Ed off the couch and carried him to the table. He placed Ed down on the chair and set the soup in front of Ed. Ed's face started to turn red and he looked utterly embarrassed. Neither Havoc nor Knox seemed to notice as they were carrying on a conversation over some new military outrage.

Roy took it upon himself to ask what was wrong. Ed just turned even redder. "I need to use the bathroom, but I can't walk…" Ed barely whispered as he seemed to melt into the chair.

_This must be so embarrassing for him…_

"Um, okay, I um, I'll take you over to the bathroom." Roy then picked him up and took him there. Ed was able to use the bathroom on his own which was a relief for the both of them before Roy had to take him back to the table.

When they got back Havoc and Knox were finishing up their discussion.

"So Chief, how ya been?" Havoc asked before he took another bite into his sandwich.

"I guess alright, why shouldn't I be ok?" Ed asked. Everything was just too weird. He didn't understand why everyone was freaking out. "Can someone explain to me what happened to me?"

"Ok, I will explain everything" Roy volunteered. Havoc and Knox gave Roy a surprised look. They knew Roy couldn't tell Ed about Al.

"You went on the trip to Atlezotope with Al and we didn't here from you for a good four days. We were starting to get worried so we sent military officers to go and find you. Hughes was with them. They found you and Al. You were very injured and Al was unharmed." It hurt for Roy to lie about that. He still felt a twinge in his chest as did Havoc and Knox. But they all covered it up. They needed to for Ed's sake.

"We don't know what had happed to you but you were completely bruised and had multiple broken bones. We decided that you would not like to stay in a hospital so we brought you to my house and Knox treated you. He put you under for a good month so that all of your injuries healed and you wouldn't feel any of the pain. Unfortunately, Knox says that you are suffering from amnesia and it is going to be hard when you get your memories back from what happened back in Atlezotope." Roy then started to eat his dinner.

Ed took all of the information in and did not speak for the rest of dinner.

A good hour went by and Havoc decided that it was time for him to go home. Knox then looked over to Edward and said, "You need a bath boy."

Ed looked mortified. _There is no way either of them is going to give me a bath. I can't even stand on my own, so I can't do it myself. He can't expect me to let him place me in the tub…_

"Don't look at me like that let's go brat." Knox spat out as he lifted Ed up and dragged him up the stairs.

Roy could hear Ed yelling at Knox all the way up and Knox just screaming back. Roy then heard the bathroom door slam upstairs. "Will you shut up already? I'm your damn doctor! I've already seen everything of yours before!"

Roy face palmed. Knox sure knew how to handle things. Ed was screaming bloody murder upstairs. Thank God Roy didn't live near anybody. He lived just outside Central in a very spacious neighborhood. Had he lived in the city, Roy knew the authorities would have been called by now.

When Ed was finally dressed and downstairs he was placed on the couch again. He was utterly humiliated. The twelve year old couldn't believe that he was so useless. "I want my automail on now. Right now."

"You still won't be able to walk just yet. It's going to take you a little while to get your motor skills up to par. I could tell at dinner that you were having trouble holding and controlling your spoon. That's because you've been out of commission for so long."

Ed was surprised that Knox noticed. "I don't care I want them on."

"Fine by me. ROY GET THE BRAT HIS LIMBS AND GET THAT STUPID MANUAL!" Ed jumped out of his skin. Knox had a louder yell and a bigger temper than Pinako.

"FINE. AND WOULD YOU QUIT YELLING?" Roy called from upstairs. "I'M TRYING TO CLEAN THIS DAMN BATHROOM! WHAT THE HECK DID YOU PEOPLE DO IN HERE?"

_Roy is cursing? That never happens….it is just too weird here…_Ed thought to himself as he wrapped himself up deeper in the blanket.

When Roy finally came down with the automail limbs and the book he placed both limb on the floor with a solid thud. Those things were heavy.

It took a good ten minutes of searching through the book and stripping Ed before they were able to get ready for what they needed to do.

"Ed, it says here that we need to hold you down because reattachment is extremely painful. It also says that we have to be careful because you can go into shock. Ed, how dangerous is this going to be?" Roy asked as he stared at the book.

"I'm fine. Just put them on. _At the same time_please." Ed gritted his teeth and prepared himself for the pain.

Both Roy and Knox reattached the limbs at the same time and Ed's body convulsed and he made a hissing sound. His jaws clenched and tears strolled down his cheeks from clenched eyes. It took a minute before he was able to breathe in and out.

Roy and Knox gave him room as Ed came back to his senses. "I… I need to lie down." Ed said, stumbling across the words.

Roy removed the pillows from behind Ed's back and picked Ed up and placed Ed on the couch again lying down.

Knox had already started to clean up and get the family room back into order. In a couple of minutes, Ed was fast asleep again.

* * *

When Ed woke up, he was feeling much better. Ed wanted his automail on so that his body could get used to it again as he recovered. "Mustang! I thought you said you were going to give me a tour!" Ed screamed as he sat up.

Roy walked out of the kitchen carry a dish towel. "Ok, I guess I can do that now." Roy then placed Ed on his back and carried him throughout the dining room, kitchen, laundry room and living room. Roy then came across a closed door. "The coolest part is the basement." Roy opened the door and Ed saw the stairs leading into the dark basement.

Before Ed realized it, what happened in Atlezotope came rushing back into his head.

**Muhuhahaha another cliff hanger!**

**Well I promise will try to update fast again. I hope you guys are really enjoying this!**

**Thank you soooooooooooooooo much for all of your reviews! I appreciate them so much. They make me feel happy when I read them all! They also make me wanna write and update faster! So please, take the time and write a review! Thank u guys! Until next time! =]**


	10. And I'd love to make things right, but

**Hey guys!**

**I'm trying to update every weekend now so be on the lookout! =]**

**Thank you so much for the reviews! I really appreciate all of them. This past week I was crushed with midterms and when I read one of my reviews that someone wrote to me it cheered me up! So please more cheering!**

**Anyway, I had a lot to think about for this chapter, but I think I found a way to sort them all out.**

**Well anyways, onto the story! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 10**

_**And I'd love to make things right, but there are things in life that I can't control**_

_He was locked in a basement of a warehouse. There were no windows, no fresh air, and no indication of what time it was. The air was stale and it was slowly suffocating him. _

_Ed was slowly coming back into consciousness. He realized quickly that his hands were tied above him to a pipe. His legs were also tied down and chained together and held down by weights. _

_Al was nowhere to be seen. Ed had no idea where he was. All of a sudden, Ed heard footsteps coming closer to him and eerie chuckling coming from the same direction. _

"_Who the hell are you?"_

"_Someone you will remember for the rest of your life…" The man then came into the little light that was in the room. Ed saw his face and could see that he held a wooden bat in his hand. "You ready to play boy?" The man sneered. _

_Ed let out a piercing scream as the man began to beat him over and over again with the bat. There was nothing that Ed could do but scream in pain. All his bravery was gone, he was completely alone now._

"_Ed!" Ed could hear his noise being called in the distance, but then he couldn't hear it over his own screams._

* * *

"The coolest part is the basement." Roy opened the door and Ed saw the stairs leading into the dark basement.

The next thing Roy knew, Ed began to freak out. Ed's arms tightened around Roy's chest, near Roy's neck, squeezing Roy with all his might. The automail was hurting Roy as it bruised Roy's flesh.

"Ed! Stop! Quit it!" Roy tried to shout at him to no avail. All of a sudden Ed let out a piercing scream.

Knox hearing the commotion came running into the hallway. He then noticed the frightened boy that seemed to be having an episode out of nowhere.

"What the hell is going on?" Knox screamed as he tried to pry the boy off of Roy.

"I don't know. Damn it! He's practically strangling me! Get him off of me!" Roy screamed as he stumbled into the family room, away from the basement door.

Knox finally managed to pry Ed off of Roy and he held him down on the couch while Roy managed to get his breath back. "The hell is going on?" Roy screamed.

"He's having a panic attack. Kid must've seen something that jarred back a memory." Knox explained as Ed was fighting something unseen as his eyes were wide with fear and full of tears.

"Roy you hold him down, I need to get my bag from upstairs. The kid I probably going to hyperventilate the way that this is going." Knox grumbled as he tried to make room for Roy on the couch to hold Ed down.

Roy sat near Ed's legs so that they were tightly packed in between the couch and Roy so that Ed could not kick him. Roy held down Ed's arm by his wrists. Ed looked completely scared out of his mind. His eyes looked like they were pleading for whatever was happening to stop.

Ed was breathing in short shallows gasps, Ed then let out another short scream as he began to try to fight Roy off.

Knox came barreling into the family room again, carrying his medical bag with him.

"Knox what are you waiting for, drug him!" Roy yelled at Knox.

"I can't drug him. He's had way too much in the past month. He can't be exposed to it that much. Plus my stores are low, that drug ain't exactly legal…" Knox admitted as he searched for something else in his bag.

"What? Not legal? Knox what the hell are we going to do?" Roy screamed at Knox as Ed continued to freak.

"Well get him out of his panic attack and I can give him a Xanax. You need to wait for the fit to be over with though." Knox said as he lit a cigarette.

"Well, how do I stop it?" Roy yelled at him. Knox was not telling him what to do and Ed was freaking. Knox was so damn frustrating!

"I don't know, maybe stop screaming around him?" Knox said in a sarcastic tone. "I don't know comfort the kid maybe?" Knox then walked towards the kitchen, "Let me know when you're done with him."

Roy could not believe him. How the hell was he supposed to get Ed to stop? "Ed! Ed, please, it's alright….Ed, come on…" Roy started to say over and over. He was slowly starting to reach Ed. Roy repeated saying nonsense words over and over again.

After ten minutes, Ed's fit began to die down as exhaustion began to overwhelm him. Roy took this opportunity to shake him lightly and say "Ed, come on, you can come back now." Ed then finally blinked at looked completely disoriented, his eyes immediately filled up with tears as he looked up at Roy.

"Ed, its ok, you are okay, do you know that?" Roy asked as he looked at Ed.

Ed looked away and just nodded. It was obvious that Ed did to like the fact that he was being restrained because he started to try to get away.

Roy then released Ed's arms and he made a move to get off the couch but he felt Ed grab at his sleeve, stopping him from getting up.

"Ok, ok" Roy said as he sat back down and let Ed grab onto his torso as he cried away. _'This is getting really strange. He is afraid of and loathes physical contact, yet he needs it at certain times." _

Roy continued to mutter nonsense words to the twelve year old as Ed cried out whatever he needed to. Roy then began to think about why Ed may be acting to clingy all of a sudden.

He then remembered what happened back when Ed was in the hospital. When Ed woke up for the first time, he had freaked out because he was in restraints. He had also flung himself at Roy for comfort. _Would it have anything to do with what happened to him at the hands of his father?_

Roy then heard as Ed's crying had quieted down. "Ed, what did you see?" Roy asked.

Ed quickly shoved himself away from Roy quickly and shot up off the couch, only to stumble on the floor.

"Like, I'm going to tell you." Ed shouted at Roy. Roy felt like he had just been slapped. _What the hell is going on? He goes from bawling his eyes out to this?_

Ed tried getting up again, this time fairly succeeding as he grabbed onto the arm of a chair to try to balance his shaking legs as he stood up.

"What the hell is your problem?" Roy screamed at him as he got up off the couch.

"Get away from me I'm fine!" Ed screamed as he tried to push Roy away.

"Oh no you don't! I don't think so! You can't go from crying to pissed at me! What are you bipolar?" Roy screamed at him as he threw up his hands, giving up in his efforts to help Ed.

"Why? Why did he do it? I didn't do anything did I?" Ed screamed at Roy. Roy had o idea what the hell the teen was babbling about.

"What ARE you talking about Ed?" Roy asked as he made a move to try to help Ed again.

"No! He said you sent me there! He said you knew what was going to happen!" Ed screamed at Roy.

"What? Ed, what did you remember?" Roy asked and Ed's face scrunched up in agony. Ed then lost all control and he fell to his knees on the floor. Roy followed him as he got on his knees as well.

"Ok, tell me what you remember Ed…" Roy said as gently as he possibly could. Ed started to shake a little as he slowly began.

"I...I was tied to some pipes…in a basement…of a warehouse, an abandoned one…I heard thunder outside…I was scared…I didn't know where I was…then…" tears slowly made their way to Ed's eyes again. "A man was there…" Ed's breath hitched as he began to cry again.

Roy hated seeing him like this. He missed the angered teen he once was so much. Roy put his hands on Ed's slumped shoulders.

"What happened, Ed?" Roy asked him again.

"He was laughing!...He…He was beating m-me….he had a bat….I-I Couldn't stop…stop h-him!" Ed cried out as he broke down again. "I'm so weak!"

"No, you aren't…No, you are far from weak Edward…" Roy said as he tilted Ed's chin up to look at him.

Ed's eyes were shining bright gold due to his crying. Roy noticed that he had the red rim around them from his crying and that he had bags under his eyes. "Ed, now tell me, please tell me what the man said about it being my fault?"

Ed flinched away from his grasp and muttered, "I don't remember that much. All I remember is that he said it was thanks to you that I came to see him…I don't know what he meant by that…" Ed admitted.

_My fault that Ed went to see him? I know that I sent him there to check up on things, but I don't recall sending Ed to see anybody. Maybe the kidnapper took it that way? _

"I have no idea Ed. You will remember soon." Roy said as he stroked Ed's real arm.

"Roy, m'tired." Ed said again, his eyes drooping. _So it's when he's upset, nervous, or tired that he reverts to 'Roy' instead of 'Mustang'. _ Roy thought as he watched the teen sway in front of him.

"Ok, I'll put you in your room." Roy said as he picked the boy up to take him upstairs.

Roy could feel all of Ed's bones practically as he carried him up the stairs.

_We are going to have a serious talk about nutrition soon. _

Roy then placed Ed in his bed and pulled the covers over him. The last thing Roy heard before he left the room was a muttered, "Thanks Roy".

As Roy closed the door he let out a smile, he was getting too soft…

* * *

When Roy went back downstairs he met Knox in the kitchen. "Way to help out." Roy growled at him.

"I'm a coroner not a psychiatrist." Knox grumbled as he sipped at his coffee. "My patients usually don't need to talk out their issues."

Roy gave him a look that could have frozen water. "Then what the hell are we supposed to do?"

"What do you mean? Are you asking what to do about his little 'psychotic episodes'?" Knox asked.

Roy nodded as he leaned his elbows on the top of the green granite countertop. He pinched the bridge of his nose. _This is just too much to deal with._

"Well Roy, unfortunately you are probably going to be taking part in a lot more 'coddling'" Roy glared at him, "sessions with him. It's not going to be easy. What did you expect? For him just to remember and be like, 'oh yeah, that happened, whatever'? It's going to be hard on him to accept any of it."

Roy sighed and took in a deep breath, this time he placed his face in his hands. "Knox, he's like this now for a quick flashback…what is he going to do when he finds out that Al is dead?"

"I don't know Mustang…I really have no idea what to expect." Knox answered. They were then enveloped by complete silence.

* * *

Ed was doing a lot better later in the day after he woke up. The only problem was later that night with his nightmare….

"NOOO! STOP! PLEASE!" Roy heard Ed scream. Roy woke up instantly.

"ROY SHUT THAT KID UP ITS THREE IN THE MORNING!" Knox yelled from the next room.

Roy rolled off his bed and ran to Ed's room, punching Knox's door in the process. Knox with his usual glamour slumped his way into Ed's room as well.

"Well what are you waiting for daddy dearest? Wake the damn brat up!" Knox yelled at Roy.

"But I can't-" Roy started to say before Knox interrupted with an "I can".

"WAKE UP KID!" Knox yelled Roy flinched and Ed had a heart attack.

Ed literally jumped up and got tangled in the sheets which led to him falling off the bed. He was panting and scared out of his mind.

"What the hell gramps?" Ed screamed as he finally got free.

"GRAMPS? Do I look that frickin old to you? You woke me up with your frickin whining!" Knox yelled at Ed.

"Is that a good reason to give me a heart attack?" Ed screamed. "What the hell kind of doctor are you anyway scaring your patients to death?"

"A coroner brat! Keep calling me gramps and you'll **make** my job taking care of you a lot easier!" Knox yelled at him.

_This is going just great…._Roy thought to himself. He felt a little relieved though that he didn't have to deal with a teary Ed again. They were starting to give him a headache. Roy thought Knox's last comment would intimidate Ed, instead it pissed him off.

"WHAT? Is that a threat? I'm pretty sure that's not allowed gramps!" Ed just shouted off again.

"THAT'S IT!" Knox growled as he made a move to pounce on Ed. Roy watched as the two of them wrestled each other, not believing for a fact that he was actually still awake.

Roy walked out of the room before he heard a thump and an "owwwwwwwwwwww" moaned from what he believed to be Ed.

"Gee gramps what the hell?" Ed swore.

"Would you shut up brat!" Roy heard Knox growl from the other room.

"That's a lotta blood…" Roy heard Ed say.

"Dammit, now I got to stitch you up." Knox growled. Roy took this as his cue to go back in the room. When he flipped the switch he found Ed clutching his head which seemed to be bleeding quite profusely.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED NOW?" Roy asked as he rushed over to Ed.

"Stupid brat hit his head." Knox said as he got up and walked out of the room.

"Are you ok?" Roy asked. Ed looked at him to give him a sarcastic answer filled with many swears, but he hesitated when he saw Roy's shirtless chest. There was a long bruise that fell over both of Roy's collar bones.

"Did I do that?" Ed asked as he rolled over onto his back to look at Roy.

"Yeah, but whatever." Roy said as he shrugged it off. Ed sat down on the wooden floor next to where Ed was sprawled out on the ground holding his head.

It was quite for a while. All they could hear was Knox throwing things around in his room that was located across from Ed's.

"Hey Roy," Ed interrupted.

"Yeah, kid?" Roy asked.

"Is it going to be like this every time a memory comes back?" Ed asked as blood started to drip down his forehead.

Roy wanted to just tell him about Al now and get it over with. There was no way that Ed would ever forgive him if he found out that he lied. But what would happen if he were to tell him?

"I don't know kid. But I have a feeling it's going to get worse."

**Yay, all done with this chapter! Well I hope you guys liked it! I tried to make it so that it wasn't extremely mushy gushy because I don't want it to be like that.**

**I also paid attention to some of the requests that I got to drag Ed's amnesia out a little bit. **

**Please review! I can't guarantee I'll honor all idea for the story, but it is good to hear what people think of it. Plus, they make me happy and write faster! **

**When is Roy going to tell Ed? Is Roy going to tell Ed? Keep reading to find out!**

**Well cya next week! =]**


	11. It's time to do some catching up

**Hey guys!**

**Well here is another chapter. Thank you very much for all of the wonderful reviews that I got. My last chapter got 110 visitors in a week =D so thank you all of you that read this story!**

**Well I ran into a dilemma for this story But I hope that I figured it out. Anyway on with it! And don't forget to give me feedback! =]**

Chapter 11

_It's time to do some catching up, don't ya think?_

Ed still didn't want to go back to bed just yet. His head was throbbing from when he hit it against his nightstand next to his bed. Knox had already stitched it up and Ed was currently sitting on his bed.

Roy was sitting in the armchair across from Ed while Knox was already back in his own room. Ed looked completely exhausted and so did Roy.

No one had said anything for quite awhile. "Roy, m'sorry." Ed muttered as he looked down to the floor. This shocked Roy.

"What? What did you do? It's Knox's damn fault that you-" Roy started to say but then Ed interrupted him.

"No Roy, not about this. I'm sorry that I hurt you before….I didn't know that I did." Ed murmured again.

"You're still worried about this?" Roy said motioning to the long bruise. "This is nothing kid, honestly. Calm down over it."

It was quiet again. Roy was beginning to think that he might have done or said something wrong.

"Mustang, my head really hurts. I don't wanna go to sleep yet. Can I read some of your books again?" Ed asked. It was almost as if he forgot his guilt before.

"Yeah kid, I gotta sleep anyway." Roy mumbled as he got up. Roy then moved over to Ed but when he went to touch Ed, Ed swatted his hand away gently. Roy raised his eyebrow inquisitively. "You wanna try on your own?"

Ed nodded. "Alright then, well try to get up okay?" Ed nodded again as he tried to support himself and get up. Ed faltered a couple of times but finally he was able to stand a little. Roy wrapped one arm around Ed's waist and held one of Ed's hands as he guided the shaky teen towards the hallway.

"Mustang, why did he do it?" Ed started to shake a little more.

"Ed, there are people out there that are just cold hearted killers-" Roy started to say but then realized that they may be talking about different things.

"But he wasn't like that, cause he didn't actually kill anybody…" Ed was starting to get really tired. _Geez, this is getting difficult. _

"Well…" Roy started to say but Ed interrupted him.

"Roy he almost got to me. He almost killed me but he didn't so that doesn't count. Never mind I guess I shouldn't have brought it up. Hey Roy, I don't wanna walk anymore." Ed was starting to sway a little. He was getting really tired.

_He gets very different when he's tired. He's not as grumpy and he doesn't pay as much attention to detail. I could've just said that his brother died then but yet again, I can't do it. I really am the weak one here. _

Roy scooped up Ed in his arms and he carried him down the hall into Roy's office. Roy set him down on the couch that was in the room and handed the teen a collection of books.

"Ed, I'm going to sleep alright?" Roy asked as he looked one last time at the teen. The teen was already submerged in the text that he was reading. Roy always wondered how the prodigy was able to do that. Roy could barely pay attention to anything that he was reading.

Roy finally made it back to his bed, and fell asleep.

* * *

When Roy walked into his office the next day he found Hughes already sitting on the couch I his office. Mustang then closed the heavy office door and sighed, "Well Hughes what do you have?"

Roy then walked across the room and sat at his desk. "Well Roy, it seems that our kidnapper must be back in town. The MPs found that Ed's dorm was ransacked this morning."

Roy gasped, "What? Why didn't I get notified?"

"Remember the military is not supposed to know about this man. I spread a rumor saying that Ed and his brother had a falling out last night and Fullmetal's temper erupted and he's the one who destroyed the room and the door." Hughes smirked a little. "Everyone knows that Elric has a temper, so luckily it just worked out." Hughes crossed his legs and leaned back into the couch a little bit.

"Well, now we know that they are looking for him. We have to be really careful in making sure that Elric can't go anywhere." Hughes stated as he stared up at the ceiling.

Roy chuckled a little bit at that knowing full well that Elric could barely even walk. "Well, he's still having trouble walking so I doubt that he's actually going to go anywhere."

"Roy, that's beside the point. What you are doing to that kid is just cruel. You are letting him live in the delusion that his brother is still alive. That boy is not stupid, he will find out on his own. All you did was just basically dig yourself a hole."

"Hughes, I'm aware of that. The problem is that I don't know what to say or how to tell him. I already lied to him, what do I do?" Roy asked Hughes.

"Honestly Mustang, tell him the truth. Tell him while he can't get up and leave you. Tell him now so that he can't run out of the house and look for Al's killer." Hughes was using his firm voice now.

"Alright, I'll tell him tonight." Roy then placed his face into his hands. He was starting to get a headache.

"Roy, have you had anything to drink since Ed came into your house?" Hughes gave him a look that only a parent could give.

"No." Roy answered with. He didn't feel like getting lectured again so he just waved Hughes out of his office.

Roy hoped Ed's day was better than his.

* * *

Ed stretched as he woke up. He remembered that he was on Roy's couch in the library. Ed wondered what time it actually was. There was a clock on Mustang's desk but it was facing in the opposite direction.

Ed's head was pounding. He had a splitter of a migraine and the light streaming through the white curtains was not helping his headache.

_Oh well. Better see who is actually here. _

"HEY GRAMPS! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? YOUR PATIENT IS BEING LEFT ALONE HERE!" Ed screamed at the top of his lungs.

Ed then heard a growling come from downstairs and a glass breaking in what he believed to be the kitchen. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY BRAT?" Ed heard Knox scream as he made his way up the stairs.

When Knox appeared in the doorway Ed put his hand up to stop Knox from yelling. Knox noticed that the kid was grabbing his head.

"Does your head hurt you?" Knox asked as he made his way to Ed. Ed nodded his head slightly, wincing at the movement. "Must be from when you banged it."

Knox then examined him as he poked and prodded at Ed's head. He checked Ed's eyes and the stitches on his head.

"Alright well it looks like you just have a headache. It doesn't look like anything life-threatening. I'll give you some medication to keep the pain down."

Knox disappeared from the room and then reentered carry a bottle of pills. "Hey kid, have you ever taken acetaminophen before?"

Ed scrunched up his face. "I don't think so. It doesn't sound familiar."

"You probably have taken ibuprofen before, most likely that and morphine during your automail recovery. I will give you some acetaminophen, but you need to tell me if you feel funny at all. Ok brat?" Knox said as he shook out a pill.

"Now the dosage normally for kids your age is two, however you have less blood flowing in your body than they do. Also-" Knox started to say before Ed interrupted him.

"Knox, just give me the damn thing already." Ed muttered.

"Yes well, I am serious about the side effects Ed." Knox grumbled as he handed the pill to Ed and gave him a glass of water to swallow it with.

Knox then picked Ed up and when Ed went to protest, Knox simply said, "I'm not running up here all the time. You are going downstairs so I can keep myself entertained without having to worry about you brat."

Ed simply gave in. When they were half way down the stairs, Ed felt funny. It was getting harder and harder for him to take breaths in. Ed tried to scream but he couldn't breathe. Knox finally took notice of what was going on.

"Dammit kid!" Knox screamed as he raced back up the stairs and into his room. He dropped Ed on Knox's bed and reached into his bag for an EpiPen. He pulled the cap off and stabbed it into the kid's leg. Ed jumped at the sudden pain in his leg. The weight on his chest slowly began to subside. Ed started to let silent tears fall out of his eyes. He thought that he was going to die.

Knox then placed an oxygen mask over his face as he sat next to him on the bed. Ed went to try to swat it away but he was too weak to put up much of a fight. "Kid you need it, calm down." Knox stated.

_The poor kid is terrified. I had a feeling that it was some sort of pain reliever that the boy was allergic to. I think that is possibly what the mother was allergic to as well. _

Knox heard sniffling coming from the boy, so he took a look at him again. The boy was trying to cover up his tears.

_Aw hell, this is Mustang's job. Not mine. _

"Ed, it's alright. You aren't going to die." Knox said over and over as he rubbed the kid's real shoulder.

Ed seemed to calm down with this because he drifted back to sleep.

Knox grinned as he shut the oxygen off and he pulled a blanket onto Ed. Knox then realized as he quietly snuck out of the room.

_Dammit, he's in my room._

* * *

When Ed woke up for the second time that day, it took him a little bit to realize that he was in yet another room. His head still hurt now but not as bad is it did earlier.

When Ed sat up, he realized there was a handwritten note on the bed next to him

_Ed, _

_I went to the store to stock up on some more medication._

_Don't do anything stupid while I am away._

_Don't try to go down the stairs on your own._

_Mustang would kill me if you died._

_Behave, and don't die._

_-Knox_

Oh, well that was pleasant. Like Ed could actually go down the stairs in the state that he was in.

Ed had a lot to think about. _Why is the Colonel being so nice to me all of a sudden? _Ed had a feeling that something was up and he didn't like that. Ed sighed as he heard the phone ring from the office.

_There is no way that I am going to be able to get that…_Ed thought. The noise was starting to annoy him.

Ed then managed to get out of bed and barely stumble into the next room.

"Hello?" Ed said as he answered the phone.

"Ed?" A surprised voice sounded from the other end of the phone. It was Winry.

"Winry, how did you know that I was at Mustang's house? Did Al tell you?" Ed asked.

"Why would Al tell me? He doesn't call me." Winry said.

Something didn't seem right. "Well never mind, what did you call for Winry?"

"I was hoping that I could talk to Al actually, I was wondering if it would be alright for me to send him a gift for his birthday that's coming up." Winry stated happily.

_What the hell? _"WAIT ISN'T HE WITH YOU?" Ed screamed through the phone.

"No, why would he be? I haven't heard from him since the last time you guys called us two months ago." Winry stated. "Ed, is something wrong?"

Ed slammed the phone back on the receiver as he fell to the floor of the office. He started to hyperventilate. _Where the hell is Al? Mustang said he was with Winry….if he lied to me then what the hell happened to Al?_

Ed needed answers. He slowly made his way back into his room, stumbling into the furniture that was in the hallway.

When Ed finally stumbled into his room he was greeted with an eerily familiar chuckling. "Well hello there boy. I finally found you! Ha ha, looks like we are going to play again!"

Ed couldn't help but to scream.

**Ok guys, I know that this chapter was really short, but I had to find a way for Ed to find out that Al was actually dead. That was my biggest obstacle because Ed cannot hate Mustang completely because this is supposed to be a parental. **

**So instead of Mustang and Ed having an argument right off the bat, Ed's torturer comes back into the picture. **

**So please review and tell me if I made a good move. The faster you review, the faster I write! **

**Well till next time! =]**


	12. I need a hero come and save me

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long and I wrote so little. I guess I wanted to use this chapter to fill in the blanks a little bit before I move onto any real action. The next couple of chapters will actually be a lot longer and updated quicker. This chapter is more like a housekeeping kinda chapter. **

**Well I love reading all of the reviews! They brighten my day when I read them. Please I would like feedback for this story! =]**

**Chapter 12**

**I need a hero come and save me**

Roy was sitting at his desk. It had been a slow day, and the rain outside wasn't making anything better. Roy was beginning to wonder if Ed's day was any better.

It was so odd having to worry about someone else. The crying definitely wasn't something that Roy was used to either. Roy had never known Ed to be emotional to the point of crying. He had always seen the kid's excessive bravado, but he had never seen Ed so vulnerable before. Roy then heard the phone ring.

"Mustang," he grunted in the receiver.

"Colonel, you have a call from an outside line from a Winry Rockbell, she says that it is urgent." Roy frowned.

_What the hell is she calling for?_ Roy thought to himself.

"Alright you can put her through." Roy answered.

"Mustang this is Winry! I called looking for Ed and the number Ed gave me wasn't working so I called your house and Ed picked up-"

"What? How the hell did you get my number? How the hell did you get this number? What the hell did you just say?" Roy couldn't help but scream.

"You gave me all of your numbers when you first got Ed! Never mind about that! What the hell happened to Al? Ed said he wasn't there and he kept insisting that he was with us!" Winry screamed at Roy.

"Oh God…." Roy trailed off. Ed heard from someone else that Roy lied. How the hell was he going to fix this? And why the hell didn't Knox answer the phone. "Um, Ms. Rockbell, Alphonse is fine and so is Edward. Edward was just acting weird."

"I don't believe you." Winry answered.

"They had a fight. Al ran off but he is ok now. I didn't want to worry Edward by saying that Alphonse ran off but Alphonse is back now."

Riza glared at him from across them room, obviously furious at him for his lying.

_Why the hell am I lying again? I know this isn't the right thing to be doing. It's going to be blowing up in my face just like the lie I told Ed…Oh god, he knows…._

"Alright Mustang, I expect to hear from them soon. Tell them that they should come to visit soon…"

"Ok" the line then went dead. The girl probably didn't believe him.

What the hell is Knox doing over there? Wasn't he supposed to answer the phone? How the hell could Ed even get there?

Roy needed to know what the hell was going on.

"Lieutenant! I'm leaving now! There is business that I must attend to!" Roy yelled. He didn't want to scream is worry or what was really going on to the entire office. Roy got up from his desk and walked rapidly out his office.

* * *

When Roy got home he had no idea what was actually going on. Knox wasn't there and apparently neither was Edward. He was looking all over the house when finally the front door opened downstairs.

Roy raced down the stairs only to see Knox carrying a bag.

"WHERE THE HELL IS EDWARD?" Roy screamed at Knox.

Knox placed the bag on the table near the front door. "I have no idea! What do you mean? He isn't here?"

"He's not in the house at all! I don't know where he is or what happened or-" Roy was interrupted by the phone ringing.

Roy ran to it and growled "WHAT IS IT?"

"Now, now Roy Mustang you might want to use a different tone." The voice on the other end was creepy and it sent chills down Roy's back.

"Who is this?" Roy was creeped out. He had a feeling he knew who it was but he hoped his fears would not come true.

"Well I'm the one who has your precious alchemist." Roy's heart skipped a beat. _Dammit. _"Now Mustang, you are going to be a good military dog and stay where you are."

"I don't think so, I'm going to-" Roy yelled as he started to pace around the room but he was cut off.

"You're gonna what? Well how about a little motivation for you to stay put? Let's wake up our little guest…" There was a sound of a door opening and Roy could hear Ed moaning.

"Well good morning darling. Someone would like to hear you scream for them," the man snarled.

* * *

Ed could hear the door slowly opening. Every inch of him had already hurt so badly. He was certain that he already had at lest two broken bones. Every place where he was hit wasn't any vital places.

A sick realization came to Ed's mind. _This lunatic isn't trying to kill me. He's trying to make me suffer._

The man then walked into the dark and dreary room that Ed was kept in. There weren't any windows, he was in the same basement and he couldn't get out.

Roy then heard the man demand, "Come on boy let's hear a little scream out of you." Ed didn't give the sick man the satisfaction.

"Do you need me to play with you first?"

Before Roy could say anything Ed screamed out, "Barbara, Angie, Sarah, Emily-" But a smacking sound momentarily stopped the boy from shouting.

"What are you doing boy?" The man was angry now.

Ed kept screaming, "Molly, Emma, Nancy, Tara!" Another slapping noise followed by a grunt from Ed stopped the boy again.

"Keep put Mustang. Your dog needs some training." The man said before the line went dead.

Roy had no idea what to do. Was he supposed to run off and find Ed or was he going to have to stay put in case the lunatic called.

Roy next phoned Hughes and explained what happened. Knox kept shut the entire time until Hughes got there. Roy was fuming and Knox was afraid that the man would loose it.

Hughes arrived and they sat down at the small table in the kitchen.

"Okay, now before we start screaming and snapping, let's let Knox explained what the hell happened first. And Roy, NO interrupting him."

Roy clenched his jaw. Frankly, he felt like killing the man right there.

"Well, Ed had an allergic reaction earlier in the day to a pain reliever that I had given him, so I had to treat him for that and he fell asleep afterward. I had to leave to get a replacement pain reliever for the one I had to dispose of because he was allergic to it. Besides going out to get the replacement, I also had to make a call. I was only gone for twenty minutes. How the hell was I supposed to now that chaos would ensue after I left the house for twenty frickin minutes?" Knox yelled a little.

Roy glared at him. "You were not supposed to leave at all Knox!"

"Since when did you put me under house arrest? What you should have told me was that the frickin maniac was out and about again as SOON as you found out!" Knox screamed as he banged his hand against the table.

"Well maybe I didn't think that you'd actually leave your god damn patients alone!" Roy screamed back as he got up and leaned heavily on the table.

Hughes took this as his signal to intervene. "ENOUGH! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS CRAP."

Roy and Knox still continued to glare at each other. "It doesn't matter what had happened beforehand as much as what we need to do now. As it stands, Roy can't leave his house this weekend." Roy grunted a little as he sat back in his chair so Hughes could continue talking.

"Looks like we are going have to call in our army." Hughes said with a wink.

**So, I hope you guys enjoyed this brief little chapter. I assure you, there will be a lot more action in the next chapters and there will be a lot of parental chapters to follow. I think that after filling up the holes with this chapter, I am now able to move on in the story. **

**Please review! And thank u for all your support! =] Until next time! =]**


	13. So let me know just how to take this

**Hey guys! **

**Thank you so much for reading and following this story! It's been really interesting having to write this story because as you can tell, I've never really written anything full of suspense before. **

**Also please review my story because I want to hear some feedback from everybody reading this story! Well ok, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it! =]**

**Chapter 13**

_So let me know just how to take this…_

Roy had no idea what to do. Frankly, he just wanted to set Knox on fire then run to find Ed. This has been too much. Ever since Ed became a responsibility in his life things have went from bad to worse.

How many nights had he stayed up worrying about whether or not Ed was going to get better? How many nights did he worry if Ed was going to kill himself again?

That's the constant feeling Roy had when Ed was here, worry. The guilt he felt was something completely different. Ed had no part in that. Roy had dug that hole by himself.

After about ten minutes Havoc, Breda, Fallman, Fuery, and Hawkeye had all shown up to Roy's house. They joined the three men in the kitchen, all of them prepared for action.

"So what're we dealing with boss?" Havoc asked as he moved to light a cigarette but froze after the look that Roy gave him. "Sorry boss, but it helps me think." Havoc grinned shyly. Roy then allowed the man to light his cigarette.

"So, as of thirty minutes ago, Ed was captured by the same lunatic that got him the last time. We will not go into details, but we need to think of something quick," Hughes stated as he moved to make a pot of coffee.

"Well, this lunatic has also called me and knows me by name. Apparently I have to stay here because he will keep calling the house." Roy said as he slumped into the chair, his face in his palms.

"Well Colonel, did Ed or he say anything to possibly give a hint?" Haweye asked putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait a minute…" Roy paused then he recalled what Ed screamed. He worked out the names in his head. _Barbara, Angie, Sarah, Emily, Molly, Emma, Nancy, Tara_ . "He spelled out basement, he told me basement!" Roy yelled as he retracted his hands.

"And this means?" Breda asked, not sure what to make of the Colonel's epiphany.

"When Ed first remembered what happened when he was first kidnapped, he said that he was in the basement of a warehouse. Ed spelled out basement when he was on the phone the last time." The Colonel stated.

"Ok, now there are two warehouse districts in Central." Hawkeye stated. "Now we must split up and search. Colonel, you need to stay here and try to see if you could get more information. Knox, you need to stay here also because if we get Ed back, he will be in need of serious medical attention." Knox nodded while Roy groaned.

"Alright, fine I'll stay here." Roy griped as he got up from the table to stand near Hughes by the sink. Roy was eyeballing the phone that was attached to the wall in the corner.

"Ok, so Breda, Fallman, Fuery, and Hughes will take the bigger warehouse district. Havoc and I will check the smaller one then report to the bigger warehouse district. Ours only has four warehouses in it, and the bigger one has twenty seven. When you are there, look for anything suspicious. Also make sure you check the basements. Some do not have basements. The ones with the basements are the odd numbered warehouses." Hawkeye said as she finished up the plans.

"Shoot to kill if you don't have a choice, but leave him for me to roast." Mustang said from his place by the sink.

"Yes sir." Everyone responded and they quickly left.

* * *

It was twenty minutes after the team left that Roy received a phone call.

"What do you want from me you bastard?" Roy growled into the phone when he picked it up.

"Ahh, still using that tone are you? Well, your dog received his training and he has been so obedient lately." The creepy voice said through the phone.

"I swear, you better not have done anything to him!" Roy yelled, even though he knew that Ed was probably severely hurt.

"When are you going to realize Mustang that you have no power here? Just like how my family had no power when you took them away from me!" The voice yelled, now all traces of mockery were gone from the voice as it turned into rage.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Roy had a feeling that he knew where this was going.

"Back in Ishbal! Don't you remember my family?" The man's distressed voice screamed in agony over the phone.

"No…" Roy had no idea who he was talking about.

"My wife, had such a kind heart, she took in some of the Ishbalan children and looked after them. And you were the one to kill them all!"

Now Roy remembered, it was one of his first assignments, and it was also the one that gave him the most conflict.

"Look, I'm sorry! I had orders-" Roy began to plead but he knew were this conversation was going.

"Well guess what, now you are going to feel the same pain that I feel every single day. And your dog is going to feel the same pain of having his flesh burned off of him."

"NO! DON'T DO THAT!" Roy screamed. He felt utterly useless. There was nothing that he could do. Knox had a petrified look on his face. There was nothing that he could do.

"It's too late Mustang, the time has ran out. Maybe you want to say bye to your little dog here." Roy heard the phone being jostled around before he heard the voice growl. "Speak dog."

Roy waited for a couple seconds while he heard a whimper on the other end. "R-Roy I f-forgive you." Ed shakily whimpered out before he started to cough a little. "P-please Roy I-I'm sorry, I-I'm sorry. Please Roy come get me!" Ed started to cry and it was getting a little hard to hear what he was saying.

"Ed, I'm sorry, I'll try ok, just please hang on for me, and please I'm so sorry. This is not your fault!" Roy was trying not to cry himself. He knew that his men would get Ed. He just hoped that they were ale to get to Ed before the fire did.

"I think this conversation is over." The man said. Ed started to scream and the line went dead.

"NO GOD DAMMIT! NO!" Roy screamed at the phone. He then got so mad that he ripped the phone off the wall and chucked it across the kitchen were it landed against the other wall and broke.

"Roy calm down!" Knox said as he began to slowly back away from the raging man.

"No Knox! DAMMIT! HE'S GOING TO KILL HIM! HE'S GONNA BURN HIM! He's gonna burn him!..." Roy then could not control himself as he slumped into the kitchen chair. He then broke down as he let a choked sob come out that was soon followed by tears. He didn't care if Knox was going to make fun of him.

"Roy calm down. We just have to wait. Have a little faith in your men Mustang." Knox said as he placed a hand on Roy's shoulder.

Roy shook off Knox's hand and got up from his seat. "I'm going upstairs in my study to cool down. You stay down here. Let me know if they get Ed." Roy said in an ice cold voice. All trace of crying was void from the man's face.

Knox grumbled in the affirmative while Roy walked upstairs.

Roy closed the door to his study and walked over to his desk. As he sat down he contemplated in his head what he should do.

Roy then looked down to the third draw on the right side of his desk and slowly opened it. He took out a worn glass and a bottle of whiskey. '_Seems that old habits never die', _he thought to himself as he poured himself his first glass.

**Muhuhahaha so scandalous! How can Roy be so selfish? All he does is lie and now he's drinking? **

**Next time you will find out what happens to Ed and if Roy can actually control himself!**

**Anyway, please review!**


	14. I could be cold I could be ruthless

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry I haven't updated in awhile! Well now that is summer, I'm going to try to update more often. It was difficult writing this chapter because there were a lot of different things that I have to address. Lucky for me, I finally found a way to try to tie everything in. So please, work with me and review! I would like to hear feedback so I can think about how to write it. Well, thank you to all of you that do review and enjoy this chapter! **

**Chapter 14**

_I could be cold. I can be ruthless. You know I could be just like you..._

Knox burst into the room and saw Roy sitting on top of his desk holding a glass full of amber liquid. He also noticed the bottle of whiskey next to him. Knox stormed up to Roy and ripped the glass away from him throwing it against the wall.

"What the hell's your problem? Do you have any idea of what you are doing?" Knox screamed inches away from Roy's face which remained unresponsive. The only indication that he was paying attention to Knox was that Roy had his eyes on him.

"Y-you d-don't understand-" Roy tried to cut in but this only enraged Knox even more.

"Don't understand? What the hell don't I understand Mustang? I understand you decided to feed into your own addiction. That's right, selfish! That poor brat is off in trouble and all you can do is sit here and booze it up!"

Roy banged his fist hard on top of the desk. "I know he's in trouble! I'm the reason why he's in that mess! Because of what I did back in Ishval he could be dead right now!"

"That's no excuse to drink Mustang! You know what his father did to him! You know how much of a drunk he was, and you are still focused on yourself! You could be helping you damn idiot! You know what I'm done dammit. Let Hughes clean this mess up I'm finished." Knox then stormed out the room leaving Roy with his own thoughts and the bottle of whiskey on the desk beside him.

* * *

Roy didn't know how long he had been sitting in the worn armchair in his office. Knox had stopped him from drinking any more. After Knox had left, Roy had walked over and plopped down into the armchair that was opposite the desk. All he could do was stare at the bottle that was on the desk in front of him.

How could he lie to Ed and tell him that his dead brother was alive? How could he be so useless when Ed is being held hostage at the hands of a murderer?

Roy then started to hear an eruption of sound downstairs as the front door was thrown open and loud voices were heard. He could hear the fast shuffling of footsteps as they traveled into the dining room. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go down yet to figure out what was happening.

Before he was able to rise out of his chair, the door to his office was thrown open. Maes stepped through the door and then slammed it behind him.

"Well, not only have you managed to not help by sitting out, you also manage to screw things up by drinking." Maes walked up to the armchair that Roy had not moved from as Roy gave him an icy glare.

Maes placed his hands abruptly on the arms of the chair and placed his face directly in front of Roy's matching the icy stare the man was giving him.

"We both know the asshole you become as soon as you pick up the bottle. We both know that you can't control that temper of yours once you start drinking. So what is it going to be this time Roy? Are you going to punch me this time? You already managed to sink down to Ed's father's level by going back to drinking. Congratulations." Roy then roughly pushed Maes away from him as he quickly shot out of the chair.

"Oh look, someone's mad. What are we going to fight again so then you can complain to me how sorry you are afterward?" Maes threw Roy's hands away as he tried to grab him which only enraged Roy even more as he pounced on Maes. They flew backwards breaking the table.

They wrestled around on the floor for a good minute, knocking over and shattering the lamp that was situated on one of the end tables. Now both men were rolling around in the broken shards, unaware of Breda running through the doorway.

"What the hell is going on?" Breda said as he moved to get Roy off of Maes.

"Someone has been drinking again." Maes grunted as he helped Breda by pushing the enraged man off of him.

"Well that's a little obvious." Breda muttered as he shoved Roy to the other side of the room. This did nothing to stop the man as he drunkenly tried to walk his way back to Maes. Breda then took the bottle of whiskey off of the desk and hit Roy on the back of the head with it. Roy then fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Well Boss is gonna have one hell of a headache." Breda mused as he nudged the Colonel with his boot.

"Well the ass deserved it. He has quite a few things to fix when he wakes up." Maes said as he looked down at the disheveled man.

"No kidding. Hey, you should get those cuts on your arms looked at. What happened to you anyway?"

"The lamp shattered and we were dumb enough to wrestle in it. I'll be fine. Knox can fix me up." Maes said as he examined the cuts on his arms.

"Well you are probably going to have to wait awhile. The kid was really banged up. He got burned and everything. Havoc got burned pretty badly as well." Breda said.

"We should go check on them. But first, help me get this idiot into bed. He's gonna be out for awhile thanks to the booze and the beating he took." Maes said as he moved to hoist the man off of the ground.

Breda moved and between the two of them, they were able to throw the man onto his bed and walk away.

* * *

Knox was still working on Ed by the time Maes and Breda got downstairs. Knox had plastic trash bags draped over the dining room table as a makeshift tablecloth. Ed was small enough that his entire body had fit on the table.

"So, what is your diagnosis Doc?" Maes said as he fell into a chair that was pushed aside from the table.

"Well," Knox grumbled as he tied the bandages around Ed's flesh arm, "he has three broken ribs, a broken ankle, multiple deep and shallow cuts, and some bruising but the bruising is not as bad as last time. He also has severe burning on his left arm and on his middle and lower back." Knox had already taken care of the other injuries before Maes had got downstairs.

"So how did the burning happen?" Maes asked Havoc who was cradling his burnt arm.

"The psychopath lit the whole place up. Hawkeye and I figured that it had to be where Ed was judging by how it was burning down. By the time we reached Ed, the back of the chair he was tied to had caught on fire. That's why he got burns on his back and his left arm. He's lucky he has automail or else that arm would have been burned as well."

Knox motioned for Havoc to let go of his arm so that he could mend it. Havoc groaned as he gave it up to him. When Knox applied the cool towel, he couldn't help but clench his teeth and growl in pain.

"Oh suck it up you pansy, the kid took it better than you did." Knox grumbled as he dabbed the towel on the arm with a little more force, causing Havoc to cringe some more.

"So I'm guessing that you got burned when you removed Ed from the chair?" Maes asked.

"Yeah, that damn kid better worship me. I got him just before the fire got to that golden hair of his. Without me the damn kid would be bald!" Havoc grumbled again in pain.

"Oh yes, you are such a hero." Knox mused as he continued to work on the man.

They all sat in silence for a little while before Breda decided to speak up. "So what are we going to do about the Colonel? He's acting like a mental patient."

"He is a mental patient. I think I have a plan but I need help from all of you. There are many ground rules that must be set in order for us to be able to actually take care of Ed." Maes answered.

"Do you think it is wise for the Colonel to continue to take care of Ed?" Havoc asked. Everyone in the room was contemplating the answer to this question. They all knew the type of man Roy became when he drank.

"Yes. After I am through with him, he should have no problem taking care of Edward. I think it's about time he learns how to." Maes growled. No one dared to question him after that for they were all confident that Maes would be able to get through to him.

* * *

Roy woke up when he heard his bedroom door slam open and then slam closed. The sound of the door penetrated his skull. His head was throbbing and he had a piercing pain shoot through his eyes. It took him a little bit to be able to actually open his eyes, but when he did he regretted it. The bright sunlight that was streaming through the curtains did not help his extreme headache and sensitivity to light.

_Wait, sunlight? How long was I out for? _

Before he knew it, the covers were ripped off of him. Roy groaned and grabbed his head in pain.

"Your head hurts doesn't it?" Maes said in a cool sharp tone.

"How much did I drink?" Mustang whispered.

"Oh, not too much, only enough for you to get violent and start swinging at me. The headache could also be from the concussion you have. Breda had to knock you over the head so you wouldn't pounce on me again." Maes said as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Maes I'm sorry I-" Roy began to say.

"Shut up Roy. I don't want to hear it. I'm done with your talking and blubbering. You are going to keep quiet and hear what I have to say now."

**Oh boy, writing a mean Maes is actually quite fun. So how do you like it? Next time there will definitely be some Ed and Roy fighting! Well, we shall see how Maes attempts to fix everything and we shall see if Roy chooses to listen. Well, I know that I didn't write what exactly happened at the warehouse, but don't worry, you will find out soon enough! **

**Thank you for reading and please leave me a review! **

**Until next time! =]**


	15. Who I am hates who I've been

**Hey guys!**

**Sorry that it took so long for me to update. I want to thank everyone for the reviews. They make me smile. =]**

**Anyway, sorry for the wait, on to the chapter!**

**Chapter 15 **

_**Who I am hates who I've been….**_

Roy sat there in his bed. The pain in his head was blinding him. He was still laying in bed with his arm thrown over his eyes, trying to block out the light. He could feel Maes staring at him with his icy glare.

"How is Ed?" Roy asked meekly.

"I'm not telling you right now the details but he is fine. Last I recalled, it was my turn to do the talking. Now shut up, you lost your chance to talk after you decided to drink last night."

Roy just groaned after that, he had no idea what he should even say. Frankly he was embarrassed that he was weak enough to give into the stress. What did that say about him? He was a leader for Gods sake yet he didn't even have the strength to resist the bottle. He was weak, and he was ashamed. He knew that he deserved all the pain that he was feeling. There were so many things that he had to rectify.

"First, what we are going to do is go through every single room emptying each room of all the alcohol that you have stashed throughout the house. EVERY SINLGE DROP will be gone from this house." Maes knew Roy had booze everywhere.

"Second, when all of that is over with, you are going to make an announcement in front of everyone telling them that you need their help to keep you from drinking. And that they are not allowed to drink around you as well." Roy began to grumble about this but Maes stopped him. "Don't even get upset with me about this. I'm not the one who screwed up."

Roy paled a little more. _God, this is going to be so embarrassing…._

"Next, you are going to talk to Ed and make a full apology to him. For EVERYTHING, and you are also going to explain what happened with his brother, Winry, the kidnapper, and why the hell you weren't there for him when he got here."

"He asked for me yesterday?" Roy asked disbelievingly. _The only reason why he asked for me is because he wanted to kill me._

"Of coarse he did you idiot. The kid was begging for you to be there."

**_Flashback_**

_Knox was trying his hardest to stabilize the boy in his arms while the others were setting up the table for him to work on. Ed's rapid pained breathing did nothing for his injured ribs. Ed was whimpering in pain as Knox held him. _

"_Shhh….you need to hang on for a little more ok? Just a little more…." Knox muttered to him while they waited. _

_Ed began to mumble something but Knox could not understand it._

"_Ed, please say it for me one more time." Knox knew he was acting out of character, but the hell with it, the kid needed him. _

"_Where's…Roy?...I want…Roy" Ed said as he began to whimper a little more. _

_Knox had no clue what to say. He could here all the commotion of Maes and Breda fighting Roy upstairs. What was he supposed to say? _

"_He'll be here soon….he's just afraid." Knox said. _

"_Why…?" Ed was definitely out of it. That worried Knox, a lot. Did he not remember that Roy lied to him?_

"_He's afraid that you will be mad at him. And that you won't forgive him." Knox said as he began to move the boy onto the table that was draped with the garbage bags._

_As he tried to put Ed on the table, Ed grabbed onto Knox making it nearly impossible to place Ed down._

"_Ed please let go." Knox said as he tried to separate the boy's fists from his clothing. _

"_NO! PLEASE! HE'LL GET ME! PLEASE" Ed started to freak out. Knox grumbled as Ed latched onto him even more. Ed's gold eyes were wide with fear. _

"_Calm down...he's not here…that bastard isn't here…" Knox said as Hawkeye moved in to help out. She slowly began to stroke the boy's hair._

"_I need Roy here…please…" Ed said as he started to drift off. Tears were sliding from his eyes. Finally after five more minutes, Ed was knocked out from pure exhaustion and pain._

"_Why would he be asking for that bastard after all the shit he put Ed through?" Knox asked Hawkeye as he began to get his medical supplies ready. _

"_Because he's a scared twelve year old, who needs his dad." Hawkeye said with a small smile. She knew that Ed would be able to get over what happened, that is if Roy straightened himself out. _

**_End flashback_**

"I can't believe that…why would he forgive me that fast?" Roy asked, still hiding his eyes from the light.

"I wouldn't say that he completely forgives you, but for the time being. He does. It's going to be difficult. He went through a lot Roy. This isn't going to be something that he can just move on from easily." Hughes then paused and let out another heavy breath. "Speaking of which, that brings up my third demand. The two of you are going to start going to counseling. First, the two of you are going to see separate therapists. Then eventually, you will be attending sessions together."

"Therapy?" Roy asked not fully believing it.

"Yes Roy, you need help as well. And if you skip for any reason, then I will know and I have the right to take Ed away from you for five days."

"What? Don't you think that is a little crazy?"

"No. Now those are my only demands so far. The first thing that you need to do is get your ass out of bed. Take a shower, and then you are going to eat something, take some Tylenol, and then we are going to get rid of ALL the alcohol."

* * *

When Roy finally got downstairs, he noticed that the house was not as chaotic as he was expecting it to be. Everything was in its proper place. The only indication that something was wrong was that his entire team was sitting in his family room watching TV.

Fuery was reading a book in the corner of the room and Havoc was laying down on the futon that was in the room as well. The family room was the biggest room of the house, so it had no problem housing all of them in one room.

"Morning Boss" Breda said as Roy walked into the room.

Roy's head still hurt, but he would live. He really wanted to check on Ed but neither Maes nor Knox would let him get into Ed's room. Knox probably knocked him out again, so it wasn't like Roy could talk to him.

_Better that I get this over with now…_ Roy thought to himself as he turned off the TV. When the TV went off, all of their attention was focused on him.

"OK, there are some things that I need to get off of my chest. First thing, I'm sorry that I had to call all of you last minute. You are my loyal men, and I appreciate it. However, I have not been a very good leader. I have a drinking problem. I picked it up when I got out of Ishbal. Unfortunately, last night, due to the stress of everything I did not act like a leader and I decided to drink. I did what I wasn't supposed to do as a leader. I'm sorry that yesterday I had failed all of you. But mark my words. I will quit this. I need to stop not only for myself, but I need to do it for Ed as well. I'm sorry that I involved you but I need to ask for your help."

He had everyone's eyes in the room. They all understood. They were all there for Edward as well.

"Please, help me kick this." Roy asked one more time.

"Yes, Sir" they all replied. Havoc seemed to have woken up from his nap. He slowly got up, cradling his arm that was in a sling.

"Havoc what happened to you?" Roy asked as he sat down in one of the armchairs that was in the room.

"I got burned while getting Ed. They haven't told you about that yet, huh?" Havoc asked as he looked up at Roy.

"No they haven't. Why aren't you smoking? Not that I don't mind, but I don't even smell cigarettes in the house." Roy was genuinely surprised. Given all the stress and Havoc's pain he would have thought that Havoc would have at least smoked a pack by now.

"Wow, guess you don't know that either. I'm not allowed to smoke in your house or anywhere that Ed is. His lungs got pretty beat up by the smoke from the fire. Doc says he's going to be on an oxygen tank for a while."

_I don't even know what happened to Ed. This is really bugging me. I want to know what happened on the mission and how Ed is. _

Maes then came bursting into the room carrying multiple trash bags. "Ok, I need your help guys. Mr. Alcoholic here needs help getting rid of all the alcohol that he has stored away throughout the house. I want ALL of it gone. Now, you need to search this place thoroughly because it is probably hidden EVERYWHERE." Hughes then handed out a bag to each member, except for Havoc. There was no way that he was getting off the futon.

Roy was thoroughly embarrassed. He was a deep shade of red. No one else in the room seemed to pay him any mind.

"Ok, Hawkeye you have the study. Breda, you get the bathrooms. Fallman, you get the kitchen. Fuery, you have the dining room. Roy and I will do his bedrooms and the rest of the rooms. Now go."

Everyone went their separate ways as they took off to tackle their part of the houses. The entire time, Hughes was lecturing Roy about how he needs to stop the alcohol completely. Roy and Hughes managed to fill two and a half trash bags with all of the alcohol bottles that they had found. They were all hidden in random places such as light fixtures and in the pots of plants.

When they caught up with the others, they each had a trash bag full of alcohol bottles.

"Thank you all of you for helping…" Roy said as he looked at the bags.

_When did it get this bad? I quit drinking a while ago. Why did I still have all of them?_ Roy was still ashamed of himself.

"Sure thing boss, just please don't screw up." Breda said.

* * *

Now that all of the alcohol was gone Roy was starting to feel even worse. He felt like a part of him was missing.

_No. I can't think about this. I need to focus on Ed. I need to be strong for him. I can't give in again._

His body was starting to crave the alcohol a little bit. That was when Roy decided to distract himself by finding Knox. He still hadn't talked to him since the alcohol incident.

Roy started to search the house for the man, but he found Knox in the kitchen getting a cup of coffee.

"Hey Knox, I'm sorry I-" but Roy was cut off by a punch to the face.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Roy screamed.

"DON'T YOU WHAT THE HELL ME! YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHY I DID IT. You have any idea how much that kid needed you?" Knox was fuming.

"But Knox please-" Roy started to say through his busted lip. Roy then moved to get a towel full of ice to place against his lip.

"NO. Dammit Mustang, you really don't know what he went through, do you? He was tortured again. He was stabbed in multiple areas that weren't fatal, but just enough to have him writhing in pain. He had actual bite marks on him. God knows how they got there. He is injured Roy, in more ways than one."

Roy felt sick to his stomach. "Bite marks? Oh God Knox was he-"

"No. He wasn't raped. I checked."

_Oh thank God. _Roy let out a breath that he was holding. "But was he-"

"That I don't know. I can say that he has some bruising but I don't know if he was touched in any way. As far as I know he wasn't. We will have to see when he wakes up."

The sickness in Roy's stomach came back again.

"I will tell you this much. He will have some intense psychological issues. We just don't know how they will present themselves." Knox finished pouring his coffee and sat down at the small breakfast table.

"I have a question for you Roy. How will you react if he were to become clingy?" Knox asked.

"What do you mean by clingy?" Roy asked as he got himself a cup of coffee while he sat across from Knox at the table.

"When he was brought here, he had trouble letting go of me because he was having a panic attack."

"Just like when he is being restrained?"

"Yes, just like that. Will you be able to deal with that type of Ed?"

Roy took another sip of his coffee. "Something tells me that is the Ed that we are going to deal with for quite a while."

**Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait! Well coming up with the ideas for this actually took quite a while because of all the different events that I have to address. I am happy to report that I will have another update this weekend. Now I actually have some ideas for this story.**

**But please REVIEW! They make my day, they really do. The reviews encourage me to write more! So please REVIEW!**


	16. And I will try, to fix you

**Hey guys! Here's the new update! Hope you guys like it! Thanks to everyone that reviewed! You guys make my day!**

**Chapter 16**

_**And I will try, to fix you….**_

Roy's house was almost empty. The only people that were still in his house were Knox, Ed, Havoc, and Hughes. The rest had already head back to their dorms to get some rest before work tomorrow. Havoc tried to go home but Knox wouldn't let him due to the burns on his arm. Havoc then claimed the couch in the family room as his bed and went to sleep.

Roy and Hughes were sitting around the kitchen table while Knox was checking Roy's head.

"Well I must say, you are lucky that you don't need to be stitched up. You just have a bump which should disappear on its own. You will be fine." Knox said as he moved over to Hughes. "Let me see your arms."

The cuts all over Hughes's arms were fixing themselves up nicely. "You will be fine as well." Knox grumbled as he sat back down in his chair. "Damn I really need a cigarette."

"So wait, what can't Ed have around him?" Roy asked.

"Well, no cigarette smoke that is for certain. No smoke from fire and no incense smoke. I think over time that should be better, but right now his lungs are too fragile to deal with any forms of smoke."

All was quiet until they heard a scream from upstairs. Roy was the first one to his feet as he bolted up the stairs, the other two men following him close behind.

When Roy opened the door to Ed's room, he found Ed curled up hiding underneath the blue comforter.

"GET AWAY!" Ed screamed when he heard the door open. Roy stopped in the doorway and made sure that the other two men stopped as well.

_This is going to be difficult…_

"Ed," Roy could see Ed stiffen at the sound of his voice. "It's Mustang I'm-"

But Ed cut him off before he could say anything more. "Are you alone? Please! I don't want him here!" Ed pleaded from underneath the comforter.

Roy could see the comforter start to shake as Ed was trembling from underneath. Roy felt a tugging on his shirt, so he looked over to Hughes. Mouthing, 'what?'

'You need to be careful about this. Try to see if he would let you come near.' Hughes mouthed back silently.

Roy nodded. "Hey Ed, am I allowed to be near you?"

"Yes" came the shaky reply.

Roy slowly made his way over to the bed. "I'm going to sit down, is that ok?" Roy patiently asked.

The sheets moved but Roy could not tell if Ed was giving him permission or not.

"Ed I can't tell if that's a-" Roy was cut off by Ed's automail hand reaching out and grabbing his pant leg, pulling Roy closer.

"I'll take that as a yes." He sat down on the bed next to the trembling form. Ed moved over giving him a little more room to sit. The hand was still gripping onto Roy's pants for dear life, shaking ever so slightly.

"Ed, I'm going to need to you to come out from under the blanket, ok?"

Roy was shocked when Ed shot out from under the comforter and grabbed onto him, hugging him for dear life. Ed was already bawling his eyes out by this point, burying his face in Roy's chest.

"Shhh….it's alright…he isn't here Ed…" Roy was still shocked by the way Ed jumped at him that he almost forgot what to do.

They sat in silence for over ten minutes before Ed finally started to calm down. His crying had died down to sniffles because he was exhausted by this point.

_Good he is calming down. Although I don't know if he's always going to be like this or what. _

Knox and Hughes had heard the noise die down as well as they slowly made their way into the room. Ed must've heard their footsteps because he tensed up in Roy's arms. He buried his face into Roy's chest more and took more of Roy's shirt into his fists.

"No…no no no no…." Ed just kept repeating. All sense of exhaustion was gone as his breathing quickened. "Don't want them here…no…."

Ed was working himself into a panic attack. Roy looked at Hughes and Knox which meant for them to stop. He also put his arm on Ed's upper back, avoiding the bandages on the burns that Roy could see on Ed's shirtless body.

"Roy we need to calm him down, he can't overwork his lungs like that." Ed got worse with Knox's talking. Now he was fidgeting trying to get away from Knox.

"Ed, hey calm down. It's Knox, he's a doctor, remember? He's not going to hurt you, ok? He just wants to make sure you are doing better ok?" Roy whispered into Ed's ear. Ed calmed down a little but he was still rigid with fear and hanging on to Roy for dear life.

"Ed, Knox is going to look at your wounds, ok?" Roy asked him. Hughes had enough common sense to stay in the doorway.

"No, don't go" Ed said.

"Hey I'm not going anywhere. I just need you to move so that Knox can check you."

"Is he going to hurt me?" Ed asked.

"Of course not. I promise you that he won't. I'm going to stay here but I need you to cooperate and do what he says, ok?" Roy said as he began to rub Ed's upper back.

He felt Ed nod. "Ok. Knox where do you need him?"

Roy then turned to Knox and mouthed, 'Be gentle. Talk out loud and tell him everything that you are going to do."

"Alright kid, I'll let you hold on to Roy for now ok? I just want to take off the bandages on your back and check on the burns. Will you let me do that?" Knox asked as he grabbed the stool that was in the room and placed it near the bed. He also has his bag by him, with everything ready, including a sedative if things got out of hand.

Ed nodded, but was still stiff as a board against Roy. Knox then carefully began to remove the bandage.

"Alright I'm going to take this one off, I will try not to touch you because I know it hurts and you don't like that." Ed began to whimper but the bandage was fully off.

Roy was almost disgusted when he saw the state of Ed's back. Knox was putting some ointment on it and making sure that it wasn't infected.

"Your back and Havoc's arm look the same kid." Knox muttered as he finished up with Ed's back.

"Now, I'm going to need you to lie back down so that I can-" Knox was cut off by the child's screaming.

"NO! STOP IT!" It was getting harder for Roy to hold him. "ROY, DON'T LET HIM TOUCH ME!" Roy had no idea what brought this on but it was breaking his heart.

"Ed please, Ed calm down. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. He isn't going to hurt you. He's going to help you." Roy said as he began to remove Ed's hands from his shirt. Roy's hands then moved to grab Ed's wrist and Ed lost it.

"NOOO!" Ed screamed as he pushed Roy off of him and he darted to the other side of the bed, trying to get as far away as possible. Ed was mumbling things over and over again to himself that no one could understand. His breathing was erratic and he was hiding behind one of the pillows that he had placed in his lap.

Both men were frozen. They had no idea what the hell was going on.

"Ed. It's Roy, please, talk to me." Ed just buried his head further into the pillow.

'What the hell did you do?' Knox asked, eyes wide.

'Nothing! I just tried to get him off of me like you asked!' Roy mouthed back.

_Shit….I grabbed his wrist. I should've known not to do that. He has issues with that…_

'I grabbed his wrist by mistake. He didn't like that before. I should have remembered. Though I don't know why he reacted so violently.' Roy's stomach began to churn. 'Something must have happened to him.'

* * *

It took awhile before Roy was finally able to calm Ed down. The only solution that Ed would allow Knox to look at him was if Roy was holding onto him. So now Ed was lying in the bed, leaning on Roy, giving Knox full permission to check all of the stab wounds, and tend to any of the burns.

"Ok kid, you are going to need a lot of rest. You've had a pretty eventful day so far. I'm going to give you a pain reliever and a sleep aid, ok?" Knox said as he held two pills and a glass of water out towards Ed.

Ed looked at the pills and Knox skeptically. "No needle?" Ed asked.

"Not today kid." Knox replied with a small smile. "I'm not going to knock you out this time. These will just make it a little easier to sleep."

This calmed Ed down a lot. He was much easier to work with than when he had that panic attack a little while ago. He reached out and took the pills like he was instructed to, then he looked at Roy nervously.

"It's alright. I'm going to stay with you till you fall asleep, ok?"

Ed nodded and closed his eyes.

**So guys, how did you like it? I know, Ed's panicking is a little repetitive, but it will get better. Also I really need you guys to review on this one, because I need to know if I'm doing a good job with writing these scenes because the next chapters are going to be filled with them. So please, help me correct my mistakes with this chapter so I don't make the same ones. **

**Ok! Until next time! And PLEASE REVIEW! =]**


	17. Don't let it break your heart

**Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you like this chapter! =]**

**Chapter Seventeen**

_**Don't let it break your heart…**_

Ed had fallen asleep a little bit ago but Roy just lay there, thinking. He still had his arm carefully wrapped around Ed and the boy was still lying on his chest. It was finally quiet. The only sound Roy could hear was Ed's pained breathing as he slept.

Roy wasn't so ready to admit it but he liked this. He liked the fact that he was protecting Ed. He liked the feel of lying there as the boy slept.

_Will he ever trust me? I'm a monster for what I've put this kid through…_

The thought was not a pleasant one. _Does he even remember Alphonse or the fact that he's gone? Does he remember me lying to him?_

As far as Roy could tell, Ed was convinced that he needed him and only him. Ed was panicky when the other men tried to walk into the room. He didn't want Knox or Hughes near him at all.

Roy looked down at Ed and brushed the hair out of Ed's eyes. _Oh Ed, what happened to you?_

* * *

Roy finally managed to escape from Ed as he made his way downstairs. The smell of food hit him as he walked into the kitchen. In the kitchen he found Havoc stirring a pot on the stove. Roy stopped in his tracks and just stared at Havoc.

Havoc finally turned around. "What's that look for boss? I'm making spaghetti."

Roy still stared at him, eyes wide and mouth open.

"What?"

"You can cook?" Roy asked in disbelief.

"Sure can. My mama owns a restaurant out in the country with the best cooking you can find. She had me work there for a couple years before I ran off to the military." Havoc then looked inside the spice cabinet. "Do you have any basil?"

Roy then burst out laughing.

"Laugh it up boss, laugh it up" Havoc muttered as he moved things around in the cabinet with his good arm.

Roy finally stopped laughing and helped Havoc find what he was looking for.

"So where did everyone go?" Roy asked as he sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen's island.

"Well, Knox I think went to take a shower upstairs. And Hughes had to leave because Gracia called him for something."

It was quiet for a little bit. The only sound that could be heard was the water boiling for the pasta.

"Knox said that Ed's injuries weren't as bad as last time, the physical ones anyhow. How did the bastard get in the house?"

Roy placed his face in his hands. "A window was forced open upstairs. I guess the bastard must have waited for Knox to leave and he just helped himself."

"Geez Roy, we need to make sure all the windows and doors are locked up."

"Havoc, the man can still break the windows and pick the locks." Silence appeared again as the two of them tried to think of another solution. "Maybe I should get a dog."

"Yes! I love dogs. That would be perfect. But would Ed be afraid of the dog?" Havoc asked as he shut off the stove.

"I don't think he would. I do know that I can't get a cat. Al was obsessed with those things, so that would cause too much distress."

"Point taken"

The two men were interrupted by Knox walking into the kitchen. "Something smells good, so I know Roy didn't make it." Knox grumbled and Roy grimaced.

"I made spaghetti Knox."

"Good. Hey Roy, I talked with Maes. He told me that he's going to have the psychologist swing by tomorrow. He also told me that he is not going to be here because it is Gracia's birthday tomorrow." Knox then made his way over to Havoc so he could drain the pasta for him.

"Havoc, I better not see you using that arm or I will chop it off." Knox said as he finished with the pasta.

Havoc believed he would chop his arm off so he nodded.

* * *

Havoc spent the night again. After dinner, they all went their separate ways. Roy was the last one to go to sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about what he was going to do about Ed. Roy had finally fell asleep when something woke him up.

_Was that a scream?_

He looked at the clock. _Three thirty…damn…_

That's when he heard the scream again and he shot out of his bed and went directly to Ed's room.

Ed was thrashing around on the bed, trying to fight off an invisible attacker. Roy rushed to his side and began to say his name.

"Ed…come on…wake up Ed…" He then began to pat Ed's hair and shake him awake. "Hey come on…he's not here Ed…you're safe Ed…" He was careful not to touch the boy's wrists at all.

Ed then woke up and gasped as he pushed Roy away from him. He was breathing heavily.

"GET AWAY!" Ed was backed up against the headboard on the other side of the queen bed.

"Hey…Ed, it's Roy…it's just me….he isn't here Ed…come on you're safe…" Ed then looked at Roy eyes wide with fear.

"Ed, can I come sit by you?" Roy asked carefully, still not fully aware of what the boy would allow him to do without Ed freaking out.

Ed hesitantly nodded. _Ok, this is a good sign, I think…_

Roy sat down and Ed looked at him cautiously, fear still apparent on his face.

Roy then motioned for Ed to come near him and the boy lost it. His face clenched up in agony and he latched himself onto Roy, crying. Roy hugged the despairing boy and placed his chin on his golden head.

"It's alright, he's not here." Roy sat there rubbing his back as Ed kept on crying. Ed finally stopped after getting all of it out and sat there sniffling, trying to get himself together.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Roy asked looking down at the boy. Ed shook his head no. "You know, sometimes it helps to talk about it. That way I can help you."

Ed shook his head again and faintly whispered, "I can't. Not yet, please."

Roy hugged him a little tighter, "Alright. I wish you would. I want to help Ed, but I don't know what's going on.

"I don't either…" Ed replied. And then the silence came.

After a couple of minutes, Roy spoke up. "You should go back to sleep."

"I can't, not alone. I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's alright. Come on kid, we can sleep in my room. I like my bed better." Roy then moved off the bed and picked Ed up, careful not to jostle his injuries too much. Ed still whimpered in pain.

_Dammit, I really am turning into a softie. If this was the old Ed he would have never allowed any of this. _But this wasn't the old Ed.

_He's just a scared kid. This is normal for him to act this way…right?_

Roy put Ed down gently onto his bed and climbed in next to him. He then pulled the covers over them.

"Get some sleep kid. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." Roy said as he drifted off to sleep.

**Awwwwww! Well another chapter done! Thank you guys so much for reviewing! I finally reached one hundred! Yay! **

**Well next time we will meet with Ed's psychologist. Will things work out? Well until next time! And I promise I'll update soon!**

**Please review, they make my day! Thanks for reading! =] **


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